President Robert Mugabe, also Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) is reportedly plotting to fire  ZDF commander General Constantine Chiwenga for dabbling in the party’s cutthroat politics and explosive succession battle.

According to the Zimbabwe Independent, Mugabe could soon remove Chiwenga as ZDF commander anytime between the beginning of next year and the next elections in 2018.

He has led the position since 2004 and could be deployed to the Zanu PF politburo or government later on for political reasons.

“Plans afoot to retire Chiwenga for political reasons.

“There is already a precedent set when his predecessor, the late ZDF commander General Vitalis Zvinavashe, was removed on political grounds after he was in 2003 entangled in controversial stories which involved Mnangagwa, opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, retired Colonel Lionel Dyke and plots for a political exit and soft landing for Mugabe. Zvinavashe was deployed to the Zanu PF politburo and given a political role” a senior government official said.

Mugabe seemed to confirm this during last week’s Zanu PF conference in Victoria Falls when he surprisingly lambasted security service chiefs for interfering in his party’s internal affairs and succession, saying: “The military, police and the intelligence are now involved and split as well. Let’s stop this. We do not want factions. Nobody has people. We are all Zanu PF.”Source: Zimbabwe Independent