Harare – Zimbabwe’s new Defence Forces commander, General Emmanuel Matatu has been clothed with his new rank colours at a ceremony held at State House in Harare.
Matatu a surprise appointment to lead the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) was recently promoted after the resignation of General Philip Valerio Sibanda.
Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Monday put new rank insignia on General Matatu’s shoulders at State House which was witnessed by senior government officials and army commanders.
Mnangagwa has been changing senior army commanders since he took power in a military coup in November 2017 that removed long ruling Robert Mugabe.
Several senior Zimbabwe army commanders who were eyeing the ZDF commander post were retired in the past two years.
Mnangagwa’s shuffling of the army commanders has seen the rise of Major General Asher Walter Tapfumaneyi, a former deputy director general in the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) being promoted to the rank of Lt. General.
Lt. General Tapfumaneyi a key Mnangagwa ally is now Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) commander.
Matatu and Tapfumaneyi were promoted for their loyalty to Mnangagwa.
Mnangagwa is in a tussle with his vice president Constantino Chiwenga, a former army General and Commander of the ZDF.
Chiwenga is angling to replace Mnangagwa but Mnangagwa is using his power to push his ambition to rule beyond 2028 to 2030.
