Tyrant Robert Mugabe's iron grip on power finally appears to be slipping after his allies turned against him amid a growing mood of revolution across Zimbabwe.

The backlash of the powerful war veterans group – which has helped prop-up Mugabe’s corrupt regime for decades – is the most significant blow to the despot since he took office in 1980.

Observers say their devastating statement calling for Mugabe to go – ‘the rot needs to be uprooted, and right now’, it said - could well prove a ‘tipping point’ in the growing rebellion against the 92 year-old bully, which is being fuelled by social media.

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Tide turning: Tyrant Robert Mugabe finally looks in danger of losing his iron grip on power after staunch allies turned against him amid a growing mood of revolution across Zimbabwe

Protests: The backlash of the powerful war veterans group – which has helped prop-up Mugabe’s corrupt regime for decades – is the most significant blow to the despot since he took office in 1980

Backlash: Observers say their devastating statement calling for Mugabe to go could well prove a ‘tipping point’ in the growing rebellion against the 92 year-old bully, which is being fuelled by social media

A fresh wave of unrest is planned for this week across the country, which has been devastated by a crippled economy, drought and the regime’s failure to pay key government workers.

Salaries to the army were delayed last week for the second month in a row.

Mugabe has promised to pay soldiers today but even if he can fund the wage bill, he appears unable to shore up his own position in the long-term.

The fact that Mugabe's ambitious wife, Grace, has herself fled the country to watch the crisis unfold from the Far East is being cited as a further sign that the world's oldest head of state is fatally wounded.

‘This is the beginning of the end for Mugabe,’ one of Zimbabwe’s leading political observers told MailOnline today.

Campaign: Mugabe has promised to pay soldiers today but even if he can fund the wage bill, he appears unable to shore up his own position in the long-term. Meme's mocking the despot are flooding social media

Social media: Analysts say this is the beginning of the end for Mugabe and his cronies facing corruption claims. This meme is of Patrick Chinamasa, Zimbabwe's Finance Minister and Mugabe crony

Debt: Salaries to the army were delayed last week for the second month which is fuelling anger and discontent

‘We are nearing the end game now. People are feeling brave, they are angrier than they’ve ever been, the army and police are restless, and protestors have social media to provide the means to organise and support one another.

‘The statement by the war veterans is hugely significant, nothing like this has happened before, the implosion we are seeing is entirely new and the centre of the Mugabe regime cannot possibly hold,’ said Gabriel Shumba, chairman of the South Africa-based Zimbabwe Exiles Forum.

Viral: The #ThisFlag campaign began in April with a spontaneous video message recorded by a charismatic priest, who cites Ghandi as his inspiration, which lit up Zimbabwe’s social networks

Flags: Protesters flooded social media with pictures of themselves posing with Zimbabwe's flag

Mugabe’s allies in China helped to briefly shut down the messaging networks, but protestors are becoming increasingly sophisticated at bypassing the technical interference and spreading Evan Mawarire's message

In their ruinous statement, the war veterans accused Mugabe of presiding ‘over untold suffering… for his own personal aggrandizement and that of his cronies.'

This weekend marked the 51st birthday of Mrs Mugabe and although state-sponsored media printed adverts and supplements to mark the event, Mrs Mugabe was nowhere to be seen.

‘Grace has not been seen in Zimbabwe since the protests began, she is a smart woman, perhaps for her own safety, or because she wants to time her return for when it suits her own ambitions of power, Mugabe is very much alone now and his days are numbered,’ Mr Shumba added.

After years of brutality, Zimbabweans of all ages are increasingly turning to smart phones - Facebook and WhatsApp in particular - to bypass strict curfews and protest bans to plot against their despotic leader.

Last month, Mugabe’s allies in China helped to briefly shut down the messaging networks, but protestors are becoming increasingly sophisticated at bypassing the technical interference.

Today, jobless graduates have organised a demonstration in the second city of Bulawayo – telling marchers to wear university gowns and brandish degree certificates to highlight how Mugabe has destroyed what was once the best education system in Africa.

Jobless graduates have organised a demonstration to highlight how Mugabe has destroyed what was once the best education system in Africa. Above, a soldier poses with the Zimbabwe flag

Evan Mawarire, a 39-year-old pastor from the capital city Harare uploaded a spontaneous online rant, citing Zimbabwe’s national flag as a symbol of Mugabe’s broken promises. It's spawned hundreds of Memes online

The war veterans’ group implemented Mugabe’s devastating and violent land grab policy against Zimbabwe’s 5,000 white farmers in 2000 which accelerated the country's descent into economic and political chaos.

If the massive group – which fought for Zimbabwe’s break from Britain – now adds its weight to a growing rebellion collecting around the #ThisFlag social media movement, Mugabe's fate will be sealed.

The #ThisFlag campaign began in April with a spontaneous video message recorded by a charismatic priest, who cites Ghandi as his inspiration, which lit up Zimbabwe’s social networks.

Evan Mawarire, a 39-year-old pastor from the capital city Harare, was previously known for the faith-based marriage guidance he posted on his Facebook page until three months ago when he uploaded a spontaneous online rant, citing Zimbabwe’s national flag as a symbol of Mugabe’s broken promises.

Dire food shortages – exacerbated by a drought, cash shortages and empty shops – prompted a parallel social media campaign under the hashtag #BeatThePot, led by opposition party Movement for Democratic Change

Videos of women marching and hitting empty cooking pots in anger at their families’ hunger have been shared across Zimbabwe – underlining the role that new media is playing in challenging the ageing despot’s rule

The war veterans’ group implemented Mugabe’s devastating and violent land grab policy against Zimbabwe’s 5,000 white farmers in 2000 which accelerated the country's descent into economic and political chaos. Pictured, black and white protesters demonstrate against the arrest of Pastor Evan Mawarire

Rev Mawarire’s call for a stay-away shut down offices, schools and emptied roads across Zimbabwe’s towns and cities quickly demonstrated the new threat posed to Mugabe’s regime by social media.

The pastor was later arrested and charged, his home and office were ransacked, but when he appeared in court more than 100 lawyers turned up offering to defend him and crowds gathered outside to sing and pray in support.

The magistrate threw out the charges against him and Rev Mawarire walked free, although he says he is now in neighbouring South Africa in fear for his life. Since then, the country’s flag has become the icon of the rebellion with thousands of anti-Mugabe campaigners wearing it in support of the #TheFlag movement.

The dire food shortages – exacerbated by a drought, cash shortages and empty shops – prompted a parallel social media campaign under the hashtag #BeatThePot, led by the opposition party Movement for Democratic Change.

Videos of women of all ages marching and hitting their empty cooking pots in anger at their families’ hunger have been shared across Zimbabwe – underlining the role that new media is playing in challenging the ageing despot’s rule.