NYANGA – General Anselem Nhamo Sanyatwe, the commander of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA), has vowed that Zanu-PF will remain in power until “donkeys grow horns.”
Sanyatwe, who was instrumental in the deployment of soldiers during the August 1, 2018 post-election violence, made the remarks at a recent Zanu PF rally in Nyanga North constituency.
The rally, attended by hundreds of villagers, was also addressed by Sanyatwe’s spouse, who is the Member of Parliament for the constituency. Sanyatwe asserted that Zanu PF’s “rule will never end” and threatened to unleash “command voters” to ensure the party’s continued dominance.
As he spoke, Sanyatwe gestured with his hand, mimicking a beating action, leaving no doubt about his intentions. He also promised to address the issue of village heads, who he described as the “grassroots owners and stakeholders” of Zanu PF.
As he reaffirmed his commitment to Zanu-PF, Sanyatwe declared, “Forward with Zanu PF, forward with President ED Mnangagwa, down with our opponents. I am the highest-ranking officer in the military.”
Sanyatwe’s remarks have sparked outrage among Zanu-PF critics and observers, who accuse him of being partisan and intimidating the public.
The August 1, 2018 violence, which resulted in the deaths of six people and injuries to 35 others, was widely condemned by human rights groups and the international community.
Prominent journalist Hopewell Chin’ono argues that Sanyatwe’s sentiments reflect the fact that Zanu-PF has been kept in power by the military through the undermining of democratic elections.
“It is not every day you hear an army general publicly pledging to use military force to keep a ruling party in power!
However the chilling statement by General Sanyatwe is not new in Zimbabwe, the army has always been used as a wing of the corrupt Zanu-PF party.
“When he says ‘Command Voting’, what he is referring to is basically a military backed sham election where the votes of Zimbabweans are ignored in favor of predetermined results.
“It is a method of staying in power that relies on brute force and the complete disregard for democratic principles,” he said.
Human rights and constitutional lawyer Thabani Mpofu urged Sanyatwe to be non-partisan and stop threatening the public.
“Sit down Sanyatwe and while you are at it, learn to dress properly. Today I publicly defy your madness, your unconstitutional madness.
“You can’t threaten us hiding behind your military fatigue. Don’t be partisan. Protect all interests. It’s a duty! A constitutional duty,” Mpofu said.
Despite his controversial past, Sanyatwe has been promoted twice by President Emmerson Mnangagwa and was deployed as the country’s ambassador to Tanzania before returning to the military and assuming his current role as ZNA commander.
The army has a special place in the political career of Mnangagwa himself. He was brought to power through a military coup that ousted late former President Robert Mugabe in November 2017.
Old useless and desperate to protect stolen wealth