By Munacho Gwamanda- President Emmerson Mnangagwa has abruptly fired Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) Director-General Isaac Moyo without notice, replacing him with Fulton Mangwanya, former head of the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority.

The dismissal, announced Friday while Mnangagwa was on leave, follows the recent ousting of Zimbabwe Republic Police Chief Godwin Matanga.

Mnangagwa’s shake-up of top security positions is widely seen as part of his strategy to consolidate power amid rising tensions with Vice President Constantino Chiwenga.

Moyo attended the handover ceremony from Matanga to the new Police Commissioner-General, Steven Mutamba, at Morris Depot just hours before his own dismissal.

The event was attended by Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe, CIO Minister Lovemore Matuke, and Commander of the Zimbabwe National Army, Lieutenant General Anselem Sanyatwe, among other service chiefs.

Matanga and Moyo were appointed after the 2017 coup that ousted Robert Mugabe, a coup engineered by Mnangagwa with Chiwenga leading it.

However, Mnangagwa has since sidelined Chiwenga’s allies, including Matanga and Moyo, who were considered loyalists of the vice president.

Analysts view the firings as a calculated move by Mnangagwa to weaken Chiwenga’s influence in the security sector.

Other key allies of Chiwenga, such as the late Major General Sibusiso Moyo and Air Force Commander Perrence Shiri, also met untimely ends, leaving Chiwenga increasingly isolated.

Reports suggest that Mnangagwa and Chiwenga had an agreement for a leadership transition after two terms.

However, Mnangagwa’s recent purges and manoeuvres indicate he intends to retain power, further straining relations within Zanu PF’s top echelons.