President Emmerson Mnangagwa has relieved Elson Moyo of his duties as Air Force of Zimbabwe commander, replacing him with one of his deputies John Jacob Nzvede.
Announcing the changes on Friday, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Martin Rushwaya said Mnangagwa had exercised his discretion as enshrined in the Constitution of Zimbabwe to relieve Moyo of his duties with effect from March 15.
“Following the above retirement, His Excellency, the President, has in terms of section 216(2), 89 and 110(2)(d) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe (No. 20) appointed Air Vice Marshal John Jacob Nzvede as the new commander of the Airforce of Zimbabwe with effect from 15th March 2024,” Rushwaya said in a statement.
Nzvede is currently a vice air marshal and chief of staff for supporting services in the Air Force of Zimbabwe.
Moyo’s retirement has been widely interpreted as a dismissal and came a few hours after a bomb scare that resulted in Mnangagwa aborting an engagement in the resort town of Victoria Falls on Friday.
Moyo has served as commander of the Air Force of Zimbabwe since December 2017. He was previously deputy commander of the air force.
JN/APA