By Munacho Gwamanda–The forced retirement of Police Commissioner-General (CG) Godwin Matanga by President Emmerson Mnangagwa was a calculated intelligence move to weaken Vice President Constantino Chiwenga and a faction of war veterans resisting Mnangagwa’s bid to extend his rule beyond 2028, a senior Zanu PF official has revealed.
Matanga was retired at the end of last year and replaced by his Deputy Commissioner-General (DCG) Stephen Mutamba.
His dismissal forms part of a broader shake-up in the security sector orchestrated by Mnangagwa to consolidate his power and neutralize potential threats.
Zanu PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa told reporters on Tuesday that Mnangagwa’s systematic replacement of security service chiefs was designed to block a potential coup.
“These changes ensure that security institutions remain professional and committed to constitutional order,” Mutsvangwa said, hinting at deep-seated factional struggles within the ruling party.
Mnangagwa’s security shake-up has not been limited to the police.
The president also removed the head of the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) and, last week, demoted Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) Commander General Anselem Sanyatwe.
Mutsvangwa openly ridiculed the demotions, implying that Sanyatwe and other high-ranking security figures were purgedfor aligning with war veterans led by Blessed “Bombshell” Geza, a vocal critic of Mnangagwa who has been pushing for his ouster.
During a farewell ceremony in Harare in January, Matanga sought to dispel speculation surrounding his retirement.
“May I take this opportunity to clarify the incorrect position peddled in the media regarding my retirement? I was properly served by the President of Zimbabwe, His Excellency Dr. Mnangagwa, at a time when my retirement was due. I am content with the contribution and service I gave to the country,” Matanga stated.
He acknowledged the challenges faced by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), including resource constraints, skills flight, and the impact of sanctions.
Despite his removal, he expressed confidence in his successor, Stephen Mutamba, saying he was “more than capable of steering the ship forward.”
Matanga’s tenure as police chief has been contentious.
Appointed in 2018 following Robert Mugabe’s ouster in the 2017 military coup, he was seen as a Mnangagwa loyalist.
However, his role within the security apparatus became increasingly complicated as internal Zanu PF tensions escalated.
Last October, Mnangagwa dismissed the head of the ZRP’s paramilitary Support Unit, with reports indicating it was another forced retirement. Two deputies from the unit were also reassigned to ZRP headquarters in Harare.
Insiders suggest these changes stemmed from ongoing power struggles, as the police had become entangled in factional disputes between Mnangagwa’s allies and those aligned with Chiwenga.
Nicknamed the “Black Boots,” the ZRP Support Unit, headquartered at Chikurubi with bases in Bulawayo, Zvishavane, and Changadzi, evolved into a heavily militarized force under Matanga’s command.
Initially responsible for crowd control, disaster response, and border patrols, the unit became notorious for suppressing protests, especially during election periods.
Under Mnangagwa, its role diminished as the military assumed greater control over internal security, particularly after the violent crackdown on post-election protests in 2018 that resulted in six civilian deaths.
Matanga’s removal is an episode in the ongoing rivalry between Mnangagwa and Chiwenga, a battle that has shaped Zimbabwean politics since the 2017 coup.
Chiwenga, who played a pivotal role in Mnangagwa’s rise to power, has seen his influence gradually eroded through strategic purges of his military allies.
Sanyatwe’s removal is particularly significant. A close ally of Chiwenga, he was reassigned to a relatively low-profile role as Minister of Sports, replacing International Olympic Committee president-elect Kirsty Coventry.
His demotion underscores Mnangagwa’s broader strategy to diminish Chiwenga’s influence in the military and ensure that key positions are filled with loyalists.
Mnangagwa’s abrupt reshuffling of Zimbabwe’s security leadership came amid escalating tensions within Zanu PF and fears of internal dissent ahead of the successifuly planed and managed March 31 protests by disgruntled war veterans.
The veterans, led by Geza, have been vocal about corruption and economic mismanagement within the ruling party.
Mutsvangwa
, dismissed the dissenters as “power-hungry opportunists,” asserting that the new security leadership had
“proven its loyalty to the President and the Constitution.” However, analysts view the shake-up as a preemptive strike against potential coup attempts and a deliberate effort to secure Mnangagwa’s grip on power ahead of the 2028 elections.
Speculation is rife that Mnangagwa may seek a controversial third term, a move that would further deepen factional divisions within Zanu PF.
Chiwenga’s faction perceives Mnangagwa’s security reforms as an attempt to marginalize military power in favor of civilian control, effectively sidelining those who helped him ascend to the presidency in 2017.