The Commander of the Defence Forces, General Emmanuel Matatu, has openly declared his support for President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s contentious ED2030 agenda, a move widely seen as a significant setback to Vice President Constantino Chiwenga’s long-standing ambitions to eventually succeed the President. Matatu’s remarks, made during his investiture ceremony at State House on Monday, have intensified speculation that Zimbabwe’s military leadership is being recalibrated to reinforce Mnangagwa’s grip on power ahead of the 2028 elections.
Gen Matatu received the full insignia of a General following his promotion last month, and his public statement of alignment with Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030 has been interpreted within political and military circles as a clear signal of loyalty. Although Vision 2030 is officially framed as an economic transformation blueprint aimed at achieving upper-middle-income status within the decade, within Zanu PF it has increasingly become synonymous with Mnangagwa’s political push to remain in power beyond the current constitutional two-term limit.
The general’s pledge was unambiguous. “I am aligned, Your Excellency, to the expectations and responsibilities that go with this elevation… As you and the political leadership strive for a nation to attain a middle-income economy by 2030, we as the ZDF shall conform and support this vision to its fruition,” he said. His phrasing — especially the commitment to “conform and support” — left little doubt about where he stands in the ruling party’s deepening succession drama.
For nearly a decade, Zanu PF has been gripped by a widening rift between factions aligned to Mnangagwa and those loyal to Chiwenga. The two men were key architects of the 2017 military intervention that ousted the late former president Robert Mugabe. However, their once formidable alliance has steadily weakened as Mnangagwa has consolidated power and systematically edged out figures perceived to be aligned with Chiwenga.
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Recent changes within the military hierarchy reflect this shift. The abrupt demotion of Lt Gen Anselem Sanyatwe — once considered close to Chiwenga — followed by the elevation of Lt Gen Asher Walter Tapfumaneyi, a longstanding Mnangagwa confidant, have been widely viewed as part of a deliberate restructuring strategy. Tapfumaneyi’s appointment as Commander of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) last month reinforced perceptions of a military leadership increasingly stacked with Mnangagwa loyalists.
Against this backdrop, Matatu’s public show of support for ED2030 carries unmistakable political significance. His remarks were not merely ceremonial reflections on his promotion; they functioned as a public declaration that the highest levels of the defence forces now stand firmly behind Mnangagwa.
The President, clearly satisfied with the message of unity, praised Matatu during the ceremony. He said the general’s appointment reflected “vast experience, professionalism, and loyalty,” and emphasised the need for discipline, patriotism, and cohesion as the defence forces navigate new national and regional security challenges.
Gen Matatu, in turn, vowed to modernise the defence forces, strengthen technological capabilities, and uphold constitutional obligations. He stated he would be “guided by the President and the Government of Zimbabwe in everything that I do,” language that further highlighted the deepening alignment between the military leadership and Mnangagwa.
Later in the day, Matatu formally invested Lt Gen Tapfumaneyi with his new insignia, cementing his position as leader of the ZNA. Tapfumaneyi — a former deputy director-general of the Central Intelligence Organisation and a liberation-war associate of Mnangagwa — plays a central role in the current military reshuffle. His rise is widely viewed as pivotal to the President’s broader political strategy, especially as internal party debates over the ED2030 agenda escalate.
In his remarks, Tapfumaneyi echoed the themes of loyalty and commitment that have characterised Mnangagwa’s recent military appointments. He pledged to uphold discipline, patriotism, and the liberation ethos, and affirmed his commitment to operating within the provisions of the Constitution and the Defence Act. He also paid tribute to former commanders, including Chiwenga, though his tone appeared to affirm the shifting power dynamics within the top ranks.
These public endorsements of ED2030 arrive at a critical juncture. Inside Zanu PF, the President’s supposed third-term agenda has caused divisions, with some senior figures privately warning that pushing for constitutional amendments or alternative interpretations of the term-limit clause could lead to political instability. For Chiwenga, previously considered the natural successor under what many believed to be a 2017 “gentlemen’s agreement,” the latest military realignments represent another significant strategic blow.
Mnangagwa, however, appears determined to strengthen his control over the security establishment ahead of 2028. The promotions of Matatu and Tapfumaneyi — both trusted loyalists — consolidate his influence over the defence forces, a critical centre of power in Zimbabwe’s post-coup political landscape.
As the military leadership publicly aligns itself with ED2030, the balance of power has shifted decisively away from Chiwenga. With Mnangagwa continuing to position loyalists across key institutions, the succession battle — once whispered within corridors of power — is increasingly unfolding in plain sight.
