harare inside state house harare robert mugabe tight spot 37-year rule tank streets troop occupy state broadcaster army announce take control zimbabwe mugabe 93 years old still alert remain defiant leader country know since independence refuse quit tense meet military top brass nov. 16 world old head state put foot bring constitution tell say order military chief constantino chiwenga accord two source present aide bring copy constitution lay president commander-in-chief arm force chiwenga dress camouflage fatigue hesitate reply zimbabwe face national crisis demand military intervention mugabe retort army problem accord source present beleaguer president indicate perhaps could find solution together meet mark start extraordinary five-day standoff mugabe zimbabwe supreme law one side military party zimbabwe people general want mugabe go also want peaceful coup one would irreparably tarnish administration aim take accord multiple military political source president finally accept defeat sack zanu-pf party face ignominy impeachment sign short letter resignation parliament speaker jacob mudenda read lawmakers nov. 21. mugabe run zimbabwe since 1980 oversee descent economic ruin wife shop luxury goods go country erupt ecstasy parliamentarians dance people pour onto streets tens thousands celebrate political downfall send shockwaves across africa world many end mugabe unthinkable one week reuters piece together events lead mugabe removal show army action culmination months plan stretch harare johannesburg beijing draw trove intelligence document within mugabe fear central intelligence organization cio reuters report september army back emmerson mnangagwa vice president succeed mugabe time come report detail mnangagwa lifelong friend former security chief mugabe might cooperate mugabe political foes order revive economy cause furore zimbabwe media political circle bitter rivalry intensify mnangagwa grace mugabe 52-year-old wife also hop take president back zanu-pf faction know g40 early october mnangagwa say airlift hospital south africa poison attempt august point finger need grace swift response deny accuse rival seek sympathy belittle nothing employee husband accord report state-run herald newspaper pressure build mugabe become increasingly paranoid loyalty army chief chiwenga career soldier decorate veteran zimbabwe 1970s bush-war white-minority rule mugabe spy permeate every institution section society zimbabwe warn military would accept grace president mugabe worry coup one intelligence report date oct. 23 say mugabe openly tell senior cios military go easily accept appointment grace warn ready civil war reuters review document hundreds intelligence report date back 2009 coup take place document come within cio reuters could determine write cio split factions pro- anti-mugabe late october mugabe summon chiwenga showdown accord another document date oct. 30. say mugabe confront army chief tie mnangagwa tell go grace would cost life chiwenga warn mugabe high time start follow mention chiwenga fight wife bind die painful death intelligence report say meet mugabe also order chiwenga pledge allegiance grace refuse chiwengwa refuse intimidate stand grind loyalty mnangagwa report say reuters put question exchange aspects article mugabe spokesman george charamba enigmatic text message date nov. 23 reply enjoy reuters copy goodnight two spokesmen chiwenga decline comment another tense meet mugabe nov. chiwenga leave harare pre-arranged official trip travel china wield significant influence major investor zimbabwe day late mugabe sack mnangagwa vice president purge zanu-pf liberation movement mnangagwa serve since youth young militant catch bomb train nearly execute general mugabe go far military immediately activate code red alert high level preparedness military source say moments mnangagwa oust nov. security detail assign house withdraw accord statement issue late tell life danger security personnel friendly warn plan underfoot eliminate arrest take police station mnangagwa say nov. 21 statement security interest leave country immediately harare manage escape border neighbor mozambique catch plane china accord one source familiar movements meet chiwenga source say reuters could confirm account intelligence report nov. 13 indicate mugabe suspect general prepare overthrow china number general china ready plot mugabe ouster mnangagwa report say clear general whether travel china authorize mugabe spy suspect old ally turn age president intelligence report date oct. 30 say beijing moscow support regime change frustration zimbabwe economic implosion mugabe china russia change report say change within zanu-pf sick tire mugabe leadership two countries even ready clandestinely supply arm war mnangagwa fight mugabe neither china defense ministry foreign ministry respond request comment foreign ministry previously say chiwenga visit normal military exchange mutually agree upon china zimbabwe reuters send write request comment kremlin russian defense ministry russian foreign ministry none respond china long take interest zimbabwe support mugabe force liberation struggle independence develop connections mine security construction russia also tie zimbabwe since early 1980s 2014 russian consortium enter partnership develop billion platinum mine project country chiwenga trip china culminate meet chinese defense minister chang wanquan beijing nov. 10. two source knowledge talk tell reuters chiwenga ask china would agree interfere take temporary control zimbabwe remove mugabe power chang assure beijing would get involve two also discuss tactics might employ de facto coup source say reuters could establish whether mnangagwa meet chang get wind talk china mugabe summon still-loyal police commissioner augustine chihuri deputy innocent matibiri detain chiwenga return harare government security source say pair assemble squad 100 police intelligence agents plot leak chiwenga supporters manage pull together counter-team several hundred special force soldier agents commander plane approach disguise baggage handlers military fatigue weapons hide beneath high-visibility jacket overalls one security source say realize outnumber outgunned chihuri police team back allow chiwenga touch without incident security source say mugabe spokesman comment incident two days late chiwenga group military commanders demand meet mugabe official state house residence harare ornate colonial villa complete stuff leopards thick red carpet accord government source say alarm fire mnangagwa tell mugabe rein wife g40 faction accuse try divide military accord government official present discussions think do mugabe demand soldier sit slump armchair general ask give assurances would purge mugabe response lukewarm government source say chiwenga tell mugabe would make concern g40 faction public hours late chiwenga summon reporters military main barrack near harare issue statement must remind behind current treacherous shenanigans come matter protect revolution military hesitate step say read prepare text follow afternoon reuters report six armor personnel carriers head towards headquarter mugabe presidential guard outskirts harare unclear whose command time city residents edge still unsure mean around p.m. nov. 14 mugabe motorcade head private blue roof residence heavily fortify compound capital leafy northern suburb borrowdale meanwhile social media buzz picture armor vehicles drive along roads harare spark frenzied speculation coup increasingly concern grace put call shortly p.m. cabinet minister ask get whatsapp twitter shut accord one source familiar record conversation minister whose identity reuters withhold safety reason reply move responsibility state security minister kembo mohadi no-one stand coup happen say grace commonly refer amai mean mother accord source hear record mugabe voice hear line hear amai anything do minister give response responsibilities state security line go dead source say mohadi decline comment two hours late two armor vehicles roll pocket hill headquarter zimbabwe broadcast corporation zbc accord zbc source dozens soldier seal site storm studios accost staff snatch phone halt program state-owned zbc widely see mouthpiece mugabe switch broadcast pop music videos mugabe inner circle nearly g40 loyalists idea way accord four source familiar conversations information minister simon khaya moyo call defense minister sydney sekeramayi ask information possible coup sekeramayi say try check military chief chiwenga chiwenga tell sekeramayi would get back accord source chiwenga never moyo remain hide unavailable comment sekeramayi decline comment minister g40 faction try frantically work go chiwenga men close mugabe compound accord source brief situation albert ngulube cio director head mugabe security detail drive home around 9.30 p.m. visit mugabe meet armor car borrowdale brooke side road lead mugabe house ngulube confront soldier threaten shoot beat detain source say ngulube late release suffer head facial injuries source add spokesmen chiwenga mnangagwa decline comment reuters unable contact ngulube g40 minister also pick soldier finance minister ignatius chombo find hide toilet house beat detain undisclosed location week release nov. 24 hospitalize injuries hand legs back lawyer tell reuters describe army behavior brutal draconian soldier use explosives blow front door house jonathan moyo main brain behind g40 accord video footage house see reuters others burst front gate residence local government minister saviour kasukuwere another key grace supporter men manage escape mugabe residence contact reuters shortly midnight early hours nov. 15 kasukuwere audibly stress talk meet say hang another week mugabe cling presidency chiwenga force try engineer peaceful quasi-legal exit long-serving leader parliament begin impeachment proceed nov. 21 mugabe finally give 37 years control much country fell poverty letter resignation say step concern welfare people zimbabwe special report 'treacherous shenanigans inside story mugabe 's downfall