Opinion / Columnist
Lt General Sibanda set to become Zim Military Boss, Chiwenga's contract expired
29 Jul 2016 at 02:33hrs | Views
Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) Commander Lieutenant-General Philip Valerio Sibanda is earmarked for a big promotion to takeover as the new boss of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) anytime soon, Spotlight Zimbabwe reported.
According to military sources, Sibanda is going to be promoted to the rank of General and replace incumbent General Constantine Guveya Chiwenga, who himself is expected to land the vice presidency post possibly before the end of the year, as first reported by this publication in March.
Officially Chiwenga's contract as ZDF Commander is said to have expired, but President Robert Mugabe, is reportedly keeping him in office for complex political reasons, the sources said. There was speculation that Chiwenga could be sacked from his position last year, after allegedly irking Mugabe for getting increasing involved in Zanu PF politics together with a coterie of other security service chiefs, believed to be pushing for Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, to succeed Mugabe.
Mugabe came out guns blazing against the army, police and Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), accusing the security apparatus of dabbling in the ruling party's politics, saying they were now involved in Zanu PF's bitter factionalism and succession battles.
"Mugabe had wanted to promote Sibanda to be ZDF Commander in December last year," our sources said. "However it was not immediately possible, because the plan was to look for a slot for Chiwenga in the party's Politburo, so he could retire and take up a career in full time politics. The VP (Mnangagwa), for strategic reasons is said to have dissuaded Mugabe from the move. Mugabe and First Lady, Grace, also like Sibanda at a personal level. It is now a matter of time before he takes up one of the most powerful offices in the land, and it's also good for Matabeleland, as he's going to be the first ever from that region to control and lead our defence forces."
Further investigations made by Spotlight Zimbabwe, corroborated by senior Zanu PF officials this week indicate that Sibanda's pending promotion, is likely to take shape under a Mnangagwa presidency. Mnangagwa as we have since reported, is all but a stone's throw away from succeeding Mugabe and could actually finish off his term of office between this year and 2018, thus having at least a one and a half year presidential reign before the next watershed polls.
The VP is expected to pick Chiwenga as his deputy president, and appoint Sibanda as the new ZDF Commander to fill in Chiwenga's vacancy, as one of his very first key appointments to the new order, increasingly becoming a realistic scenario in Harare.
"Sibanda has political chemistry with both Chiwenga and Mnangagwa," another military insider said. "He has also tried to be neutral and apolitical throughout his career, and also commands respect from the opposition. I will not be surprised if he remains ZDF Commander, even when a new regime comes to power."
Defence Secretary Martin Rushwaya was not in office yesterday when we sought official comment.
Sibanda last year in the clearest of signs, that he could be warming up for the ZDF job, said the ZDF was prepared to deal with any insurgent groups that might pose a threat to peace and tranquillity being enjoyed in the country.
"By protecting the territorial integrity, the ZDF has to ensure that no part of Zimbabwe is lost to a foreign aggressor or nation," said Lt Gen Sibanda then. "The ZDF stands ready to defend Zimbabwe against any major incursion by an aggressor by engaging in high intensity war. We've not experienced this, but we remain on high alert to deal with any eventuality. When there is a threat of insurgents or bandits, the ZDF is also prepared to eliminate them. A case in point is the 2007 attempt by the MDC to topple a constitutionally elected Head of State and Government in an operation dubbed ‘Final Push'. The ZDF foiled the operation as it contravened the dictates of the Constitution of Zimbabwe." he said.
Sibanda assumed office as ZNA General Commander in December 2003, and is a former Zipra combatant.
According to military sources, Sibanda is going to be promoted to the rank of General and replace incumbent General Constantine Guveya Chiwenga, who himself is expected to land the vice presidency post possibly before the end of the year, as first reported by this publication in March.
Officially Chiwenga's contract as ZDF Commander is said to have expired, but President Robert Mugabe, is reportedly keeping him in office for complex political reasons, the sources said. There was speculation that Chiwenga could be sacked from his position last year, after allegedly irking Mugabe for getting increasing involved in Zanu PF politics together with a coterie of other security service chiefs, believed to be pushing for Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, to succeed Mugabe.
Mugabe came out guns blazing against the army, police and Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), accusing the security apparatus of dabbling in the ruling party's politics, saying they were now involved in Zanu PF's bitter factionalism and succession battles.
"Mugabe had wanted to promote Sibanda to be ZDF Commander in December last year," our sources said. "However it was not immediately possible, because the plan was to look for a slot for Chiwenga in the party's Politburo, so he could retire and take up a career in full time politics. The VP (Mnangagwa), for strategic reasons is said to have dissuaded Mugabe from the move. Mugabe and First Lady, Grace, also like Sibanda at a personal level. It is now a matter of time before he takes up one of the most powerful offices in the land, and it's also good for Matabeleland, as he's going to be the first ever from that region to control and lead our defence forces."
The VP is expected to pick Chiwenga as his deputy president, and appoint Sibanda as the new ZDF Commander to fill in Chiwenga's vacancy, as one of his very first key appointments to the new order, increasingly becoming a realistic scenario in Harare.
"Sibanda has political chemistry with both Chiwenga and Mnangagwa," another military insider said. "He has also tried to be neutral and apolitical throughout his career, and also commands respect from the opposition. I will not be surprised if he remains ZDF Commander, even when a new regime comes to power."
Defence Secretary Martin Rushwaya was not in office yesterday when we sought official comment.
Sibanda last year in the clearest of signs, that he could be warming up for the ZDF job, said the ZDF was prepared to deal with any insurgent groups that might pose a threat to peace and tranquillity being enjoyed in the country.
"By protecting the territorial integrity, the ZDF has to ensure that no part of Zimbabwe is lost to a foreign aggressor or nation," said Lt Gen Sibanda then. "The ZDF stands ready to defend Zimbabwe against any major incursion by an aggressor by engaging in high intensity war. We've not experienced this, but we remain on high alert to deal with any eventuality. When there is a threat of insurgents or bandits, the ZDF is also prepared to eliminate them. A case in point is the 2007 attempt by the MDC to topple a constitutionally elected Head of State and Government in an operation dubbed ‘Final Push'. The ZDF foiled the operation as it contravened the dictates of the Constitution of Zimbabwe." he said.
Sibanda assumed office as ZNA General Commander in December 2003, and is a former Zipra combatant.
Source - spotlight
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