MNANGAGWA NAMES NEW ARMY CHIEF AMID GROWING PRESSURE
By Laura Mpoka
Harare, Zimbabwe - In a surprise move, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has appointed a new army chief, Emmanuel Matatu, a former major general, amid growing pressure from war veterans and rising tensions within the ruling party.
According to sources, Matatu takes over with immediate effect, replacing Lt Gen Anselem Sanyatwe, who was abruptly retired earlier this week and appointed as the sports, arts and culture minister.
The appointment comes ahead of planned protests on Monday, called by a faction of war veterans demanding Mnangagwa's resignation. The veterans are calling for Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, a retired general who led the coup against former President Robert Mugabe, to take over the presidency.
Mnangagwa has faced growing dissent within his ZANU-PF party, with some members calling for his ousting due to mismanagement and corruption. The president has been trying to bolster his position by shaking up the military, police, and intelligence leadership.
Matatu, reportedly 72, hails from Mnangagwa's home province of Midlands and is not widely known. However, his appointment is seen as a strategic move to stabilize party-military relations amid internal tensions.
The security ministry has issued stern warnings against participation in the planned protests, and human rights groups have expressed concerns about the government's response to dissent.
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