Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa has removed Lt. General Anselem Nhamo Sanyatwe from the Zimbabwe Defence Forces. Martin Rushwaya, the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, made this known in a statement today. The retirement happens immediately.
Sanyatwe moved straight from his job as Commander of the Zimbabwe National Army to become the Minister of Sport, Recreation, Arts, and Culture. The President based these changes on section 216 and section 340 of Zimbabwe's Constitution plus section 115 of the Defence Act. He acted both as President and Commander in Chief when making these decisions.
This marks the second time Sanyatwe has left the military. Back in 2019, he retired and became Zimbabwe's ambassador to Tanzania. Later, the government called him back from Tanzania and put him in charge of the Zimbabwe National Army after Lt. General David Sigauke stepped down.
Sanyatwe has faced controversy before. On November 12, 2018, he spoke to the Mothlane Commission of Inquiry as a Brigadier-General who led the Presidential Guard. He claimed his soldiers did not shoot at crowds during the August 1 killings. He told a commissioner that a soldier seen kneeling was firing at a 45-degree angle into the air, not at people.
Social media figure LynneM recently shared information about a meeting at Precabe Farm. She wrote on X that several high-ranking officials, including President Mnangagwa, met there. According to her post, they discussed using Kirsty Coventry's election as IOC President as a reason to change the cabinet.
The alleged plan targets supporters of General Chiwenga by moving them away from security positions. LynneM claimed the officials want to replace Sanyatwe with Asher Walter Tapfumaneyi, who has ties to someone named Tagwirei. She also mentioned plans to move Sanyatwe's wife from her current role as Deputy Minister for Home Affairs to head a new ministry.
Sanyatwe moved straight from his job as Commander of the Zimbabwe National Army to become the Minister of Sport, Recreation, Arts, and Culture. The President based these changes on section 216 and section 340 of Zimbabwe's Constitution plus section 115 of the Defence Act. He acted both as President and Commander in Chief when making these decisions.
This marks the second time Sanyatwe has left the military. Back in 2019, he retired and became Zimbabwe's ambassador to Tanzania. Later, the government called him back from Tanzania and put him in charge of the Zimbabwe National Army after Lt. General David Sigauke stepped down.
Sanyatwe has faced controversy before. On November 12, 2018, he spoke to the Mothlane Commission of Inquiry as a Brigadier-General who led the Presidential Guard. He claimed his soldiers did not shoot at crowds during the August 1 killings. He told a commissioner that a soldier seen kneeling was firing at a 45-degree angle into the air, not at people.
Social media figure LynneM recently shared information about a meeting at Precabe Farm. She wrote on X that several high-ranking officials, including President Mnangagwa, met there. According to her post, they discussed using Kirsty Coventry's election as IOC President as a reason to change the cabinet.
The alleged plan targets supporters of General Chiwenga by moving them away from security positions. LynneM claimed the officials want to replace Sanyatwe with Asher Walter Tapfumaneyi, who has ties to someone named Tagwirei. She also mentioned plans to move Sanyatwe's wife from her current role as Deputy Minister for Home Affairs to head a new ministry.
