Under-fire Zimbabwean president appoints new army chief amid growing pressure

Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa has appointed a new army chief as he faces growing pressure from former allies demanding his resignation.

The move comes just days before planned protests on Monday, organized by a group of war veterans who accuse the president of mismanagement and corruption.

The newly appointed army chief, former Major General Emmanuel Matutu, will assume his role with immediate effect. His appointment signals a potential shift in military leadership at a time when Mnangagwa is grappling with discontent within his own political base.

War veterans, who were instrumental in Mnangagwa’s rise to power following the ousting of longtime leader Robert Mugabe in 2017, have now turned against him. Accusing his administration of economic mismanagement, corruption, and failure to address the country’s ongoing crises, they have vowed to hold mass demonstrations aimed at forcing him out of office.

Political analysts suggest that the appointment of Matutu could be an attempt to consolidate military support ahead of the protests. Zimbabwe’s army has historically played a crucial role in the country’s political landscape, often acting as a stabilizing—or destabilizing—force in times of political turmoil.

As tensions rise, security forces are expected to be on high alert during Monday’s demonstrations. The Mnangagwa administration has yet to formally respond to the war veterans’ demands, but growing dissatisfaction within both political and military circles signals an increasingly precarious situation for the president.

With economic woes deepening and public frustration mounting, the coming days could prove critical for Mnangagwa’s political future and Zimbabwe’s stability.