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Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa has appointed a new army chief, Major General Emmanuel Matatu, just days before planned protests by a faction of war veterans demanding his resignation. The move follows the abrupt retirement of Lt Gen Anselem Sanyatwe, who has now been reassigned as Minister of Sports, Arts, and Culture.
A Strategic Appointment?
Matatu, reportedly 72, hails from Mnangagwa’s home province of Midlands and is not widely known. However, political analyst Eldred Masunungure suggests his appointment reflects an effort to stabilize party-military relations amid internal tensions.
“He is the fourth commander of the Zimbabwe National Army since Mnangagwa took over less than eight years ago,” Masunungure said. “It tells a long story of unstable party-military relations.”
Matatu, a veteran of Zimbabwe’s liberation war, trained in Zambia as part of the Zimbabwe People’s Republic Army (Zipra)—one of two rival guerrilla forces that fought against white-minority rule in Rhodesia. He is regarded as a loyalist of Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) commander Philip Valerio Sibanda, another ex-Zipra veteran, which could signal an effort to consolidate control within the military.
Internal Rifts and Calls for Change
Mnangagwa has come under increasing pressure from former allies who accuse him of mismanagement and corruption. The faction of war veterans organizing Monday’s protests has called for Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, a former military leader, to take over.
Mnangagwa, nicknamed “The Crocodile” for his ruthless political tactics, came to power in 2017 after leading a coup against longtime leader Robert Mugabe. Though he is currently serving his second and final term, set to end in 2028, reports of his alleged attempts to extend his rule have sparked discontent within the ruling Zanu-PF party.
Despite Mnangagwa’s recent public assurance that he will step down after his term, many remain skeptical, recalling the tensions that led to Mugabe’s ousting.
Security Crackdown Ahead of Protests
With uncertainty surrounding the level of public support for the veterans’ planned demonstrations, authorities have issued warnings against participation.
Zimbabwe’s security minister has cautioned against attending the protests, while police have announced a four-day ban on carrying weapons or any objects that could be used for violence in the capital.
As political and military dynamics shift in Zimbabwe, all eyes are on how Mnangagwa navigates this latest challenge to his leadership.
