HARARE – President Emmerson Mnangagwa has named former Presidential Guard boss Lieutenant General Anselem Sanyatwe as new commander of the Zimbabwe National Army.
In a Friday statement by the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Martin Rushwaya, the appointment of the former Presidential Guard boss is with immediate effect.
“His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and Commander in Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, Cde Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa has with immediate effect and in terms of section 216(2) as read with sections 89 and 110(2)g of the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20), appointed Lieutenant General Anselem Nhamo Sanyatwe to the position of Commander of the Zimbabwe National Army,” Rushwaya said.
He replaces Lieutenant General David Sigauke.
Sanyatwe headed the Presidential Guard under late former President Robert Mugabe before he was retired by Mnangagwa to the diplomatic service in 2019.
He was recalled as ambassador to Tanzania last month ahead of his reinstatement into the military top brass.
The new army boss would best be remembered by Zimbabweans for ordering the shooting and killing of seven civilians and injuring of dozens during skirmishes that rocked central Harare when restless pro-opposition protesters queried the slow announcement of the 2018 election results.
Protesters suspected the state was using the period to tamper with the outcome in favour of the ruling Zanu PF.
For his role in the killing of civilians, Sanyatwe was placed under US sanctions, joining a few more Zimbabwean politicians and security chiefs targeted for a travel ban and asset freeze by the superpower. – ZimLive
