President Robert Mugabe’s decision to sack vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa drew a sharp warning his top military general on Monday. General Constantino Chiwenga, commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, said the military “will not hesitate to step in” if members of the ruling Zanu-PF party who were involved in the country’s independence struggle continue to be removed from power.

“The current purging which is clearly targeting members of the party with a liberation background must stop forthwith," Chiwenga said, flanked by 90 senior army officers, during a press conference at the army headquarters.

“We must remind those behind the current treacherous shenanigans that when it comes to protecting our revolution, the military will not hesitate to step in.”

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