The political house being nurtured by Grace Mugabe, the ambitious wife of the 93 year old Zimbabwe’s former leader, has collapsed like a pack of cards.

While the whereabouts of the woman 40 years Mugabe’s junior, is unknown, one of her supporters has done a volte-face endorsing the military that has derailed her plan to become Mugabe’s vice-president and successor.

The head of the youth wing of Zimbabwe’s ruling party publicly apologized on state television to the military, which has seized power saying it aims to isolate “criminals” in President Robert Mugabe’s entourage.

Kudzai Chipanga, whose powerful ZANU-PF youth wing has been a strong supporter of Mugabe and his wife Grace, said he had voluntarily given his statement apologizing for denigrating defense forces chief General Constantino Chiwenga.

It was an abrupt about-face for Chipanga, who on Tuesday accused the army chief of subverting the constitution.

”Defending the revolution and our leader and president is an ideal we live for and if need be it is a principle we are prepared to die for,” Chipanga had said at the party’s headquarters in Harare.

There are reports that at least one minister, Ignatius Chombo, who holds the finance brief, has also been detained by the military.

Chombo is a leading member of the G40 faction of the ruling Zanu-PF party, led by Mugabe’s wife, Grace.

This faction is believed to be the target of the military’s action. Its members, along with Grace, are believed to be the criminals around Mugabe, that the soldiers are targeting.

Unconfirmed reports said Grace has already slipped out of Harare and may be in hiding in Namibia.