Mnangagwa sacks army chief amid Zimbabwe’s escalating power struggle

Zimbabwe’s president Emmerson Mnangagwa has dismissed Lieutenant General Anselem Sanyatwe, the country’s army chief, in a significant political move that has intensified a brewing power struggle within the ruling Zanu-PF party.
Sanyatwe, a close ally of vice president Constantino Chiwenga, was reassigned to the role of sports minister, replacing Kirsty Coventry following her election as the new president of the International Olympic Committee. The dismissal comes amid growing tensions between Mnangagwa and Chiwenga, who led the 2017 coup that ousted former president Robert Mugabe, paving the way for Mnangagwa’s rise to power. Chiwenga, a retired general, is seen as positioning himself for a potential presidential bid, with reports suggesting that some factions within Zanu-PF are pushing for Mnangagwa to step down before the 2028 elections.
Political analysts argue that Mnangagwa’s reshuffling, including the removal of key military figures, is an attempt to shield himself from a potential military-led mutiny. The political instability has also been marked by calls for protests, with outspoken war veteran Blessed Geza urging demonstrations against Mnangagwa’s government to be held on 31 March. Authorities have responded by banning the carrying of weapons in Harare, as fears of unrest grow. The country’s security forces have been deployed in full force to prevent any outbreak of violence, heightening concerns over the direction Zimbabwe’s leadership is heading in the run-up to the next general elections.