But if a transfer is underway, the world should not expect too much. The military has long been a servant of the ruling party, not a champion of reform. The person considered most likely to take over is Emmerson Mnangagwa, who was purged from the vice presidency and forced into exile by Mugabe. As head of the intelligence service, he is believed to have had a major role in some of the regime’s bloodiest actions. “His ruthlessness is legion,” South African journalist Peter Fabricius told The New York Times.