Robert Mugabe has described his departure from office in November as a ‘coup d’etat’ in his first TV interview since he was deposed.
Mugabe was forced to quit when the military stepped in and ZANU-PF lawmakers launched impeachment proceedings against their once beloved leader.
Speaking to South Africa‘s state broadcaster SABC he said: ‘I say it was a coup d’etat – some people have refused to call it a coup d’etat.
‘We must undo this disgrace we have imposed on ourselves.
‘It was truly a military takeover, there was no movement visible unless that movement was checked and allowed by the army.’
The interview took place at the ousted leader’s mansion in Harare, with Mugabe sitting at his desk in front of a painting of him and his wife on their wedding day.
In it he also said he never thought new President Emmerson Mnangagwa would turn against him and denounced Mnangagwa’s move to oust him last year as a coup.
‘I never thought he whom I had nurtured and brought into government, that one day he would be the man who would turn against me,’ he said.
‘I don’t hate Emmerson, I brought him into government. But he must be proper, he is improper where he is.’
The military moved against Mugabe, 94, after he sacked his then-deputy and heir-apparent Mnangagwa apparently fearing the nonagenarian was grooming his wife Grace to succeed him as president.
The former first lady had cultivated her own factional support base within ZANU-PF known as ‘G-40’ that was seen as hostile to the security establishment.
Mugabe was granted immunity from prosecution and assured that his safety will be protected in his home country under a deal that led to his resignation.
Despite their undignified ejection from power, the extravagant lifestyles enjoyed by s despot Mugabe and shopaholic Grace will continue to be bankrolled by Zimbabweans.
A retinue of more than 25 staff, including drivers, waiters, secretaries, maids, gardeners and a six-strong security detail, will attend to every need of the ex-leader and his wife.
Since his dramatic reversal of fortune, he has largely appeared to stay out of public life.
But he left Zimbabweans fearing a possible return after he was pictured posing with the current leader of the opposition this week.
The photo sent shockwaves through the ruling ZANU-PF party which he dominated for decades as he was shown with opposition leader Ambrose Mutinhiri.