From ‘Defending Sovereignty’ to ‘Fighting Corruption’: The Political Place of Law in Zimbabwe After November 2017

In this article, I examine the shifting language of debates over law and justice in Zimbabwe run-up to, following, November 2017 coup. argue that rhetoric African National Union–Patriotic Front (ZANU–PF) drew upon to secure its authority negotiate legitimacy through law, shifted from a focus ‘sovereignty’ ‘protection’, one battling ‘corruption’ ‘criminality’. At same time, there remained consistency manner legal system was used target select part country’s population, those opposed ZANU–PF vision for future.