THE SHADOW GENERAL BEHIND ZANU PF POWER GAMES

After leaving the CIO in 2009, Tapfumaneyi did not disappear from the system. He moved quietly into government and served as Principal Director in the Ministry of Presidential Affairs. Later, he became Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Welfare Services for War Veterans under Robert Mugabe. These were not small roles. They kept him close to power and close to the fears and secrets of the ruling elite.

When the 2017 coup brought Emmerson Mnangagwa to power with strong help from Constantino Chiwenga, old networks were reshuffled. In January 2020, Tapfumaneyi was brought back into the CIO as co Deputy Director General. His equal was Gatsha Mazithulela, while the Director General was Isaac Moyo. His return was not smooth. He was seen as a G40 sympathiser, and many inside ZANU PF did not trust him.

Relations between Tapfumaneyi and Chiwenga soon became tense. Tapfumaneyi believed Chiwenga was blocking his rise and treating him as a threat. Inside the CIO, Tapfumaneyi slowly became more loyal to Mnangagwa. He learned where real power was moving and adjusted. Over time, he became a key part of Mnangagwa’s intelligence system.

His importance grew sharply during the 2023 elections. Mnangagwa made a risky move by pushing Chiwenga and the army aside. He feared they could rig him out of power during the deep ZANU PF succession war. Instead, he relied on the CIO. Tapfumaneyi became central to this plan through the shadowy Forever Associates Zimbabwe group, known as FAZ.

FAZ became feared across the country. It ran local campaigns, controlled communities, and used fear, pressure, and manipulation. Many people believe FAZ helped secure Mnangagwa’s disputed 2023 victory. Tapfumaneyi is widely seen as the mind behind this operation. After the election, his relationship with Chiwenga fully collapsed.

The power fight between Mnangagwa and Chiwenga turned deadly. It involved grenade attacks, poison claims, and purges. As Chiwenga increased pressure, helped by war veterans led by Blessed Geza, Mnangagwa leaned more on Tapfumaneyi. Throughout 2025, several attempts were made to weaken or remove Mnangagwa, but all failed.

To survive, Mnangagwa promoted Tapfumaneyi to Major General in June last year. This was a political move, not a normal one. Tapfumaneyi returned from the CIO into the army as a powerful figure. In November 2025, things moved even faster. Within six months, he was promoted to Lieutenant General and made Zimbabwe National Army commander, replacing Matatu, who had become ZDF commander after taking over from Sibanda.

Many senior officers were shocked. They said Tapfumaneyi was smart and strategic but lacked key army command experience. He had not led a brigade and had no combat background. Still, the message was clear. This was about politics, not professionalism. Mnangagwa was coup proofing his rule and protecting his plan to stay beyond 2030.

Tapfumaneyi strengthened himself through staff courses and training. He took the role during a wider military reshuffle. Like in 2019, when former Zipra commanders helped stop a coup while Mnangagwa was abroad, old alliances mattered again. Sibanda helped block another coup last year before the March 31 action. Sanyatwe was removed days before that threat. With Matatu guiding him, Tapfumaneyi now stands as Mnangagwa’s shield. This shows how the state has been captured by fear and survival. Instead of serving the people, the army and intelligence are used to settle personal fights. Zimbabweans pay the price through poverty and silence. As long as power is protected by shadows and not law, change will remain blocked and the country will keep bleeding slowly. True freedom will only come when soldiers leave politics and citizens reclaim their voice.