Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa has removed the country’s army chief from his military post and reassigned him to a civilian cabinet role, in a move political analysts view as a calculated attempt to tighten his grip on power amid fears of a potential coup from within.
The dramatic reshuffle was announced on Tuesday and involved the dismissal of Lieutenant General Anselem Nhamo Sanyatwe from his role as commander of the Zimbabwe National Army. The presidency confirmed the decision in a statement, according to reporting by Reuters and AFP.
Sanyatwe was appointed minister of sport, recreation, arts and culture—filling a vacancy left after former sports minister Kirsty Coventry became the first African and first woman to head the International Olympic Committee.
However, the government did not provide reasons for the reassignment, and the timing has raised eyebrows as political sparring intensifies ahead of Zimbabwe’s next general elections, scheduled for 2028.
Military shake-up sparks coup concerns
President Mnangagwa’s decision to remove a top-ranking general comes at a time of deepening political unrest within the ruling ZANU-PF party, which has held power since Zimbabwe’s independence in 1980. Analysts suggest the dismissal was driven by concerns that certain military figures were growing sympathetic to rivals within the party.
‘It’s part of the coup-proofing,’ said political analyst Eldred Masunungure in comments to AFP. He added that the move was likely aimed at sidelining senior figures seen to be loyal to Blessed Geza, a ruling party veteran who has publicly backed Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, a presumed contender for the presidency.
Masunungure warned that the shake-up could be politically dangerous for Mnangagwa: ‘It is highly risky. It can backfire.’
A controversial military figure
Sanyatwe, 69, has held a series of powerful positions, including commander of the presidential guard and ambassador to Tanzania. He was sanctioned by the United States in 2019 for his role in a deadly post-election crackdown in 2018 that left at least six civilians dead. The UK followed with asset freezes in 2021. His US sanctions were lifted in 2024 under former President Joe Biden.
His sudden removal from the army occurs amid what many Zimbabweans describe as growing political repression and worsening economic hardship. Critics of the government have accused it of corruption and incompetence, as inflation, unemployment and food insecurity continue to plague the country.
In a sign of rising state intolerance, police have detained a journalist who interviewed Geza after his endorsement of Chiwenga—further stoking fears of a widening crackdown on dissent.
Power plays and political survival
Mnangagwa seized power in 2017 after a military coup ousted long-time ruler Robert Mugabe, raising hopes of reform. But those hopes have faded, with Western governments and rights groups accusing the administration of authoritarian practices and resistance to democratic change.
His latest move, while cloaked in the procedural language of a cabinet reshuffle, is being read as a preemptive strike against internal threats. As Zimbabwe edges closer to the 2028 polls, Mnangagwa appears to be fortifying his position by neutralising perceived challengers—both political and military.
The transition of Sanyatwe from military command to a ceremonial cabinet post may look routine on paper, but observers say it reflects deeper fractures inside Zimbabwe’s ruling elite. (Africabriefing)
