But in a statement read out by Major General Sibusiso Moyo, which came a few hours after the army besieged Pockets Hill, the ZBC headquarters, the State security agents indicated this was not “a military takeover of government”, adding Mugabe was safe.

The move also followed a State media black-out of ZDF commander General Constantino Chiwenga’s Press statement on Monday in which he called the 93-year-old Mugabe to order and directed him to stop the on-going purge on former Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s allies ahead of Zanu PF’s extra-ordinary congress next month.

Although Moyo could not name the army’s targets, NewsDay understands that Finance minister Ignatius Chombo, who is also Zanu PF secretary for administration, Higher Education minister Jonathan Moyo, party commissar Saviour Kasukuwere, Central Intelligence Organisation deputy director Albert Miles Ngulube, Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri were arrested with little resistance at their homes.

A defiant Chiwenga, who was flanked by Zimbabwe National Army commander Lieutenant General Philip Valerio Sibanda, Air Vice Marshal Elson Moyo and army chief of staff (administration) Major General Douglas Nyikayaramba at the Monday Press conference addressed nearly 100 major generals, brigadier generals, wing commanders and senior army commanders raising concerns about the dismissal of Mnangagwa and other senior party officials with liberation war credentials.

He is a leading figure in Zanu PF’s G40 faction that engineered Mnangagwa’s recent expulsion from both government and the ruling party on allegations of disloyalty, deceitfulness, attempts to usurp power from Mugabe among others.