New army appointments bad news for Chiwenga

In a widely anticipated development with major political implications for Zanu PF's internal succession battles and President Emmerson Mnangagwa's push to extend his influence beyond 2028, Lieutenant-General Emmanuel Matatu has been promoted to the rank of General and appointed commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF), effective 21 November 2025.

The appointment follows the retirement of long-serving ZDF commander General Philip Valerio Sibanda. Government insiders say Sibanda is expected to enter active politics and is a strong contender for the Defence minister post in an upcoming cabinet reshuffle. Mnangagwa attempted to appoint Sibanda to the Zanu PF politburo in 2023, but the move was blocked on constitutional grounds.

Alongside Matatu's elevation, Major-General Asher Walter Tapfumaneyi has been promoted to Lieutenant-General and appointed head of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA). Both men are viewed as close military allies of President Mnangagwa, a factor analysts say strengthens the president's position as he seeks to shape the political landscape toward his much-discussed 2030 project — an attempt to maintain power beyond the constitutionally mandated end of his second term in 2028.

The restructuring of the military command comes months after Mnangagwa removed former ZDF commander Lieutenant-General Anseleem Sanyatwe, who was believed to be aligned with Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga's succession ambitions. Sanyatwe's removal occurred ahead of planned anti-government protests orchestrated by war veterans aligned to Chiwenga, underlining the deep factional struggles within the ruling party.

The latest appointments entrench Mnangagwa's control over the armed forces, weakening Chiwenga's historical military backing and complicating his path to the presidency. Since the 2017 military intervention that propelled Mnangagwa to power, the army has remained a decisive kingmaker in national politics, its influence stretching far beyond barracks into government ministries, state enterprises, and the ruling party's structures.

Zimbabwe's military establishment has long acted as a guarantor of Zanu PF's dominance and a decisive force in succession dynamics. With numerous retired officers occupying senior roles across the state, the line between political authority and military influence has blurred further, reinforcing a power system in which the armed forces remain central to determining leadership outcomes.

Matatu's elevation, analysts say, continues this pattern and signals Mnangagwa's determination to consolidate power ahead of the next transition moment — one that increasingly appears contested within Zimbabwe's ruling elite.