MUTAMBA’S APPOINTMENT IS A WARNING, NOT A WIN FOR ZIMBABWE

The appointment of Stephen Mutamba as Zimbabwe’s new police commissioner-general is not a step forward—it is a red flag. It is not about leadership or reform—it is about control. President Emmerson Mnangagwa has once again chosen loyalty over justice, power over progress. This move is part of a broader strategy to tighten his grip on the country and keep his political machine well-oiled ahead of any real challenge.

Mutamba replaces Tandabantu Godwin Matanga, who has been in office since the November 2017 coup. While Matanga was seen as a temporary fix after the removal of Augustine Chihuri, he held the position for nearly seven years. That gave Mnangagwa enough time to prepare the ground for someone more loyal, more obedient, and more willing to silence dissent. That person is Stephen Mutamba.

Mutamba is not a neutral figure. He is not a reformer. He is not a champion of law and order. He is a regime loyalist. In 2022, the United States placed him under sanctions for actively undermining democracy and propping up Mnangagwa’s authoritarian rule. The sanctions were not based on gossip—they were backed by evidence.

Mutamba used his power to target opposition leaders and protect ZANU PF interests. In 2020, under the guise of enforcing COVID-19 curfews, his officers blocked opposition rallies, arrested critics, and kept foreign diplomats from meeting civil society groups. His methods were always the same—intimidate, silence, and block any political space that wasn’t painted in ZANU PF colours.

In 2021, he reportedly interfered with electoral processes, helping to hide vote tallies and fighting against international election observers. In a country where trust in the vote is already fragile, his actions made it worse. He played a direct role in building a climate of fear and mistrust. And now, that man is being handed the full reins of the police force.

Let’s be clear—this appointment is not about improving public safety. It is not about reforming the Zimbabwe Republic Police. It is about protecting Mnangagwa’s interests ahead of 2028, and possibly beyond. It is about preparing for a future where dissent must be crushed quickly and quietly. Mutamba is not being rewarded for competence. He is being promoted for loyalty and for doing the dirty work.

The fact that Matanga stays in office until December 31, 2024, while Mutamba has already been named as his successor, shows how carefully this handover is being planned. Mnangagwa is making sure there are no surprises. It is a smooth transfer of power from one loyalist to another. The system remains the same—only the face at the top changes.

This is not just about one man. It is about how state institutions are captured and used to serve a political elite. Zimbabwe’s police force, instead of serving the people, has become a tool for fear and suppression. The message is clear: challenge the regime, and you will face the full force of the state, led by people like Mutamba.

Zimbabweans deserve better. They deserve police leaders who defend the law, not the ruling party. They deserve justice, accountability, and fairness—not political enforcers in uniform. The appointment of Mutamba should anger every citizen who still believes in democracy. It is a direct attack on freedom, and it should not go unchallenged.

The international community must also wake up. Sanctions alone are not enough if they do not come with real support for activists, opposition parties, and civil society. Zimbabwe is slowly sliding deeper into authoritarianism, and Mutamba’s appointment is just another step down that dark road.

This is not a win for law enforcement. It is a warning. A warning that the fight for democracy is entering a harder chapter. But Zimbabweans have fought before. And they will fight again.