Harare – President Emmerson Mnangagwa has brought back to the army retired Brigadier General Asher Walter Tapfumaneyi promoting him to the rank of Major General.
Tapfumaneyi was a deputy director general of the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) in his recent post.
He was in charge of operations in the spy agency and was largely credited for leading a shadowy group known as Forever Associates of Zimbabwe (FAZ) trust.
FAZ which was run from the CIO was responsible for campaigning for Mnangagwa to retain power in the 2023 elections.
The covert operation was later exposed by the media.
In a post on X, prominent Zimbabwe journalist, Hopewell Chin’ono last month wrote about Tapfumaneyi’s latest appointment saying Mnangagwa was maintaining a tight grip on the security apparatus after war veteran Blessed Geza called for the veteran leader to step down.
Geza accused Mnangagwa of running down the country and corruption.
Chin’ono said: “He (Tapfumaneyi) had been in the army before but was removed during Vice President General Constantino Chiwenga’s tenure as Commander of the Defence Forces and is reportedly not on good terms with Chiwenga at all.”
”He also ran covert political initiatives for Mnangagwa using the CIO, notably the establishment of the Forever Associates Zimbabwe (FAZ) trust.
FAZ was created to support Mnangagwa during the 2023 elections and was involved in activities such as voter mobilisation for ZANU PF and voter intimidation at polling stations where it stationed operatives with desks and benches.”
Chin’ono added : “Tapfumaneyi is expected to eventually take over from the newly appointed Commander of the Zimbabwe National Army, Lieutenant-General Emmanuel Matatu.”
Chin’ono said Mnangagwa also made changes in the CIO appointing Paul Chikawa as the new deputy director general.
Another intelligence officer known a Benadate Mandongwe was brought in as the new deputy director administration, according to Chin’ono.
A former CIO deputy general, Dr Gatsha Mazithulela was demoted and given a new post as Director of Narcotics in the Office of the President, Chin’ono added.
Mnangagwa has been making changes in the military in recent years which has agitated some war veterans that include Geza who has been a thorn on the veteran leader’s side.
Geza supports that Mnangagwa be replaced by his deputy, General (retired) Constantino Chiwenga.
Geza has called for protests to call for Mnangagwa to step down but the strikes were ignored by the majority of Zimbabweans.
Mnangagwa loyalists want him to extend his term beyond 2028 to 2030.
Mnangagwa came to power in November 2017 when a military coup removed then president Robert Mugabe.
The military is a key cog on the ZANU PF succession matrix.