HARARE, 7 March 2026 – A decisive restructuring of Zimbabwe’s military command structure is underway following a series of rapid personnel moves at the heart of the country’s security establishment, signalling a significant recalibration of power within the state’s defence architecture.Sources within the Zimbabwe Defence Forces confirm that a carefully coordinated realignment has been executed under the authority of the Commander-in-Chief and the Zimbabwe Defence Forces High Command. The move follows the elevation of General Asher Walter Tapfumaneyi to the rank of full Army General late last year, a promotion that insiders say positioned him strategically within the upper command hierarchy ahead of the latest developments.
Military insiders describe the current shake-up as a targeted effort to dismantle what security officials viewed as an emerging centre of influence operating around the household of Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga.military intelligence sources report that Colonel Minnie Baloyi, spouse of the Vice-President, has been removed from her operational position and reassigned to what insiders describe as a non-command administrative placement within the General Officers’ Pool. The reassignment effectively strips the position of operational authority.
Officials familiar with the decision say the measure was designed to end alleged interference in command structures and internal security deliberations related to state leadership succession and constitutional governance.
At the same time, the Director of Military Intelligence, Colonel Mandaza, has reportedly been relieved of his duties and reassigned for military training in the People’s Republic of China. The redeployment is understood to fall under bilateral defence cooperation arrangements between Harare and Beijing.
Sources say both actions were carried out quietly and without confrontation, in line with Zimbabwe Defence Forces standing procedures.The developments come days after outspoken political figure and former legislator Temba Mliswa publicly warned of tensions within security structures and alleged that Colonel Baloyi had become a conduit for internal military briefings related to political manoeuvres surrounding constitutional amendments.Mliswa stated that certain military officers who had recently met to discuss matters concerning him had reportedly delivered their findings directly to Colonel Baloyi.
In his statement issued on 1 March 2026, Mliswa said:
“The military officials who convened recently concerning me and made a resolution to stop me reportedly went and delivered a report to Colonel Baloyi. I have always held the Army and our security forces in high esteem.
This has informed my interactions with esteemed Zimbabwean Generals such as Mujuru, Zvinavashe, Zimondi, Tungamirai, Shiri, Chimonyo, Chimombe, and Moyo reflecting a profound respect for their leadership. It is inconceivable that I could be mentored by such figures if I did not recognize their significance.certain elements within the security apparatus to suppress individual freedoms, particularly when such actions arise solely from their positions of authority and political ambitions.
Zimbabwe has never been known for assassinations and those who engage in such schemes must be prepared to face similar and inevitable repercussions of their actions. Hazvisi zvekutyisidzirana.Therefore, no individual or faction should attempt to commandeer the people’s revolution for personal political gain. I remain steadfastly loyal to the current leader of this nation, as should every citizen, for such loyalty and respect are essential for any future leadership to thrive during their own term in office.”
Within defence circles, analysts interpret the latest moves as part of a wider repositioning taking place inside Zimbabwe’s security sector as political succession debates intensify ahead of future constitutional milestones.
The Zimbabwe Defence Forces High Command has not issued an official public statement regarding the personnel changes, maintaining the institution’s longstanding practice of operational discretion.
However, sources close to Joint Operations Command structures say the current developments mark a clear message that the military chain of command will remain tightly controlled and insulated from competing political influence.
For now, the reshaping of the command landscape appears to signal a deeper struggle unfolding behind the scenes within Zimbabwe’s governing elite — one that is increasingly being fought inside the corridors of the security establishment itself.
