He spent decades at the heart of Robert Mugabe’s violently repressive government, seized power in a military coup, and is facing mounting criticism over a renewed crackdown on Zimbabwe’s political opposition. 

But Emmerson Mnangagwa insists both he and the Zanu PF party he now leads has changed – and says it is those levelling accusations of human rights abuses who are stuck in the past. 

“Be wary of Zimbabwe human rights groups, they have an agenda,” the country’s president elect told the Telegraph in his first newspaper interview since he was elected president two weeks ago. 

“They have always been against the government, they have not changed their minds, they not shifted their mind to become…