Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa has appointed a new army chief as planned protests by war veterans, who are calling for his resignation, loom on Monday. His former enforcer, Major General Emmanuel Matutu, is set to immediately take over the position. Mnangagwa, known for his ruthless reputation, has been criticized by his former supporters, who cite mismanagement and corruption. This week, he surprisingly retired the previous army chief, Lt Gen Anselem Sanyatwe, and appointed him as sports, arts and culture minister. Mnangagwa, nicknamed “The Crocodile,” came to power in 2017 following a coup against long-time leader Robert Mugabe. Given the publicly stated plan for him to step down in three years, many remain unconvinced and concerned about his intentions to hold onto power. The primacy of his leadership has evoked memories of the coup that took down Mugabe. Despite uncertainties about public support for the protests, the security minister has cautioned citizens against participating, and the police have enforced a four-day ban on weapons and instruments that could incite violence around the capital.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn0j01jgqk9o