Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Misheck Sibanda said in a statement that major generals Martin Chedondo, Douglas Nyikayaramba and Anselem Sanyatwe as well as air vice marshal Shebba Shumbayaonda had been retired and reassigned to diplomatic service “in line with government’s critical global engagement and re-engagement strategy.”
Sibanda said details about the generals’ diplomatic accreditation are expected to be announced in “due course”.
The Zimbabwean leader has come under pressure since a military crackdown on civilians following last post-election violence last year as well as after anti-government protests in January triggered by a deteriorating economic crisis.
The move could be viewed as an attempt to weaken the power base of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, the ex-army chief credited with a November 2017 coup that removed former Zimbabwean strongman Robert Mugabe.
Chiwenga is currently receiving treatment in India and is seen as wielding a lot of power due to his control of the military.
Sanyatwe was in charge of the Presidential Guard which was accused of being behind the fatal shooting of six civilians during post-election violence in August 2018.