Columbus Mabika and Collin Mtatabikwa
General Emmanuel Matatu assumed command of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces at a handover-takeover parade at Charles Gumbo Barracks on 24 November 2025. The ceremony was presided over by the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, Cde Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa.
General Matatu took over from General Phillip Valerio Sibanda who retired from ZDF after an illustrious service spanning 51 years.
In his acceptance speech, General Matatu said he will build on what has been laid down by his predecessor and will serve to the best of his ability.
“Today, I accept the responsibility of serving as the commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces. This momentous occasion is not just a personal achievement for me, but more importantly, a result of the collective effort and support rendered to me by my commanders, my fellow workmates, my support mates and my family throughout my long journey to here. I humbly accept the responsibility to dutifully serve my country with the seriousness it deserves,” he said.
General Matatu thanked President Mnangagwa for showing trust in him.
“I want to extend my sincere gratitude to the Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces for once again entrusting me with the honour and privilege to lead the Zimbabwe Defence Forces. I understand the weight of this position and I appreciate the trust that His Excellency has shown. Sir, the competence in my ability means a lot to me and this is not only motivating but also inspiring,” said General Matatu.
He commended the ZDF for its contribution towards regional stability and making sure back home a peaceful environment existed for national development and achievement of national visions.
“I am committed to serve and contribute to the peace and security of our beloved nation and, by extension, to the region as well, to the best of my abilities. I shall remain committed to uphold a high standard of integrity, professionalism and dedication to duty and service in our collective endeavour to uplift our country to an upper-middle-income economy by 2030,” he said.
General Matatu hailed his predecessor, General Sibanda for his mentorship during his military career.
“Let me take this opportunity to acknowledge the exemplary service rendered by the outgoing commander, General Sibanda to the ZDF for the past eight years. Indeed, General, you set a high standard for all of us and I look forward to build upon the foundation that you established during your tenure as Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces. Our organisation has a long and glorified history built on the courage, resilience and sacrifices and professionalism of those who came before us. Today, as I accept this responsibility, I am following in the footsteps of great commanders such as the late General Zvinavashe, General Chiwenga, who is among us today. All these generals tutored me, they mentored me and they inspired me at different stages of my career,” he said.
In his farewell speech, Gen Sibanda said he was satisfied with the contribution he made to ZDF and the country in general.
He chronicled the journey he travelled from the time he joined the liberation struggle through Botswana, getting to Tanzania for military training and his stint in Zambia as a ZIPRA cadre.
“During the course of my service from the Liberation Struggle to this day, I met a lot of people who helped shape me into who I am today. I would like to thank them all for their contribution towards who I am today,” he said.
He thanked President Mnangagwa for according him a rare honour of leading the ZDF.
“I take this opportunity to thank the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Forces for giving me a rare honest privilege of being Commander of the Defence Forces for the past 8 years,” he said.
The handover ceremony was characterised by a flypast of two jets from the Air Force of Zimbabwe. One of the two jets changed course along the way, signalling the departure of General Sibanda while another continued with its trajectory showing the continued journey of the ZDF despite change of leadership.
The event was also attended by Vice President General Constantino Chiwenga, several government officials and defence chiefs from SADC region countries including Angola, Botswana, South Africa and Eswathini.
In a related development, President Mnangagwa presided over the investiture ceremony for the newly promoted General Emmanuel Matatu at State House, on 01 December 2025.
General Matatu’s promotion from the rank of Lieutenant General to General was in terms of section 216 (2) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe as read with sections 7(1) and 8 (2) of the Defence Act (Chapter 11:02) and effective from 21 November 2025.
