On Tuesday, Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa appointed the nation’s army chief as the new sports minister.
According to a statement from the presidency, Anselem Sanyatwe has been retired from his military position and assigned to oversee the sports portfolio.
This appointment follows the vacancy created earlier this month when Kirsty Coventry was elected as the president of the International Olympic Committee.
Sanyatwe’s departure from the army chief role occurs amid rising political tensions in anticipation of the general elections scheduled for 2028.
Analysts suggest that Mnangagwa’s actions may be a strategy to protect himself against a possible coup, as some members of the ruling Zanu-PF party are advocating for Constantino Chiwenga, Mnangagwa’s deputy who played a key role in the ousting of Robert Mugabe in 2017, to assume the presidency.
In recent months, Mnangagwa has also made changes to the leadership of the police and intelligence services.
