harare24dmin Before President ED Mnangagwa’s reign retired senior soldiers struggled to get meaningful positions in ZANU PF. General Mujuru in all his military glory was a mere Politburo committee member, General Zvinavashe also had a similar position while others like General Nyambuya were relegated to low positions. Why is it that so many soldiers struggled to find their footing within ZANU PF’s political structures?
Soldiers are trained in an environment where orders are given and followed no questions asked. Their success on the battlefield or in the barracks depends on discipline, hierarchy, and an unyielding chain of command. In contrast, ZANU PF’s internal political machinery runs on a very different engine: grassroots persuasion.
To win a ZANU PF primary election or any party election, especially in today’s political climate, one needs to cultivate relationships, build alliances, and earn trust among cell and district members. You must navigate complex community dynamics, sometimes bending and bowing to the gatekeepers who control access to voter loyalty. That’s not something you can do with a salute and a stern voice.
President ED Mnangagwa took the military minds in mainstream politics and ensured that they are given a platform to serve the nation. For the first time we have a retired General serving as a Vice President and Second Secretary of the country and party. We saw Lt. General Sibusiso Moyo serving as Minister Foreign Affairs , Air Marshal Perence Shiri Minister Agriculture, Lt General Sanyatwe now Minister Sports, General Nyambuya is deputy Senate President and a member of the Politburo. These are welcome developments creating space for military minds to serve actively in mainstream politics and civilian administration.
Before President Mnangagwa many retired generals and senior officers who transitioned into politics expected their status to command automatic respect and compliance. But in the old ZANU PF trenches, that approach is a non-starter. Here, the village chairperson you ignored or the youth leader you scolded can derail your campaign with a whisper. Ukasataura zvakanaka ne vanhu zvinodhakwa figuratively and sometimes quite literally.
This is why the record shows that many high-ranking military officials who joined ZANU PF politics prior to November 2017 either fizzled out quietly or remained politically impotent despite their decorated pasts. Their training didn’t prepare them for this kind of warfare the slow, messy, and often humiliating grind of grassroots politicking. President Mnangagwa changed this for military personnel and this is something that Blessed Geza has never mentioned in his rants.
