Sir Nicholas, whose father served as the last Governor of Southern Rhodesia before it became Zimbabwe, welcomed the military coup that ousted President Robert Mugabe.
He said: “I can tell you what Zimbabwe needs, it needs stability and good order. It was the ‘bread basket’ of Africa, with the most wonderful, brilliant farmers. It needs a chance to be able to get on and sort itself out.
“It’s got brilliant black entrepreneurs all over the country. It’s a country that is rearing to go and it has been held back by this dreadful corruption and deceit of the ZANU PF.”
Speaking to the BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Sir Nicholas said he met with President Mugabe during a recent visit to Zimbabwe and found him “tired” but still in control.
But added that the recent military coup showed “it is time for Mugabe to go.”
Sir Nicholas, whose grandfather was British hero Winston Churchill, continued: “If it is not a coup then it is certainly its first cousin. I think it’s a sign of Mugabe’s time coming to an end.”
Gunfire and explosions broke out in Zimbabwe’s capital Harare during the night following a video warning by a military chief announcing that the armed forces had stepped up to “pacify the situation in the country.”
According to the ruling ZANU PF Party, former Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa will not succeed President Mugabe as leader of Zimbabwe.
However the party denied staging a coup, instead choosing to call the takeover a “bloodless transaction.”
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson urged both sides of the dispute to refrain from violence while tabling discussions to resolve the situation.
He said: “It’s very fluid and hard to say exactly how this will turn out. The most important point to make is that everybody wants to see a stable and successful Zimbabwe and I think we are really appealing for everybody to refrain from violence.”
President Mugabe was reportedly set to speak to the nation a live TV broadcast at 11am today, according to Al Jazeera.
His speech is expected imminently amid speculation that Mr Mugabe could be forced to resign after being held under house arrest.
Report are coming in saying that his powerful wife and possible successor Grace Mugabe has left Zimbabwe for Namibia.