Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces
Incumbent
Philip Valerio Sibanda
since 18 December 2017
Ministry of Defence
Reports toMinister of Defence
AppointerPresident of Zimbabwe
Formation1977
First holderPeter Walls

The Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces is Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces and the national defence organisations.

List of chiefs

Commander Combined Operations (Comops), Rhodesian Security Forces

During May 1977, a Combined Operations headquarters (or "Comops" as it was referred to) was formed to direct the activities of all Rhodesian Security Forces. Prior to this, each service had its own command structure and active operations were co-ordinated, at a local level, through Joint Operation Commands (or JOCs). The first (and only) Commander Comops was Lieut.-General G. Peter Walls, former head of the Rhodesian Army. Air Marshal 'Mick' J. McLaren was Deputy Commander.[1][page needed]

No. Portrait Commander Took office Left office Time in office Ref.
1
Peter Walls GLM, DCD, MBE
Walls, PeterLieutenant General
Peter Walls GLM, DCD, MBE
(1926–2010)		197719802–3 years[2]

Chairman, Joint High Command

Following the electoral victory of Robert Mugabe's ZANU party on 4 March 1980 a Joint High Command was established to oversee the integration of the former warring armies. Lieut.-General Peter Walls (former Commander of the Rhodesian Combined Operations) was appointed as Chairman of the Joint High Command. Other members included: Lieut.-General A. C. L. ‘Sandy’ Maclean (former Commander Zimbabwe-Rhodesian Army); Air Vice-Marshal Frank Mussell (former Commander Zimbabwe-Rhodesian Air Force); ‘Lieut.-General’ Lookout Masuku (former Commander Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army, ZIPRA); ‘Lieut.-General’ Solomon T. Mujuru, alias Rex Nhongo (former Commander Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army, ZANLA); and Mr Alan Page (Secretary of Defence).[3]

No. Portrait Commander Took office Left office Time in office Ref.
1
Peter Walls GLM, DCD, MBE
Walls, PeterLieutenant General
Peter Walls GLM, DCD, MBE
(1926–2010)		March 1980July 19804 months

Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces

In July 1980 Lieut-General Walls resigned and was exiled from Zimbabwe. Lieut-General ‘Sandy’ Maclean was appointed by then Prime Minister Mugabe as the Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces on 8 August 1980, and promoted to General.[4]

No. Portrait Commander Took office Left office Time in office Ref.
1
Andrew 'Sandy' Maclean
Maclean, AndrewGeneral
Andrew 'Sandy' Maclean
(?–2019)		8 August 198031 July 19821 year, 357 days[5]
2
Solomon Mujuru
Mujuru, SolomonGeneral
Solomon Mujuru
(1949–2011)		1 August 1982199210–11 years[6]
3
Vitalis Zvinavashe
Zvinavashe, VitalisGeneral
Vitalis Zvinavashe
(1943–2009)		July 199431 December 20039 years, 5 months[7]
4
Constantino Chiwenga
Chiwenga, ConstantinoGeneral
Constantino Chiwenga
(born 1956)		1 January 200419 December 201713 years, 352 days[8]
5
Philip Valerio Sibanda
Sibanda, Philip ValerioGeneral
Philip Valerio Sibanda		19 December 2017Incumbent6 years, 86 days[9]

References

  1. ^ Lovett, John (1977). Contact: A tribute to those who serve Rhodesia. Galaxie Press. ISBN 978-0869250532.
  2. ^ Abbott, Peter; Botham, Philip (1986). Modern African Wars (1) 1965-80 : Rhodesia. Men at Arms Series. Osprey Publishing. p. 11. ISBN 978-0850457285.
  3. ^ Alao, Abiodun, The metamorphosis of the ‘unorthodox’: the integration and early development of the Zimbabwean National Army, in: Bhebe, N. & Ranger, T. (eds) Soldiers in Zimbabwe’s Liberation War, Volume One, University of Zimbabwe Publications, Harare, 1995.
  4. ^ Matiashe, Farai, 'First ZDF commander Maclean dies', Newsday, 23 July 2019.
  5. ^ Matiashe, Farai (23 July 2019). "First ZDF commander Maclean dies". newsday.co.zw. Alpha Media Holdings. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  6. ^ Chan, Stephen (11 September 2011). "Solomon Mujuru obituary". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
  7. ^ Mataire, Lovemore (1 December 2003). "Chiwenga Appointed ZDF Commander". Zimbabwe Situation. Harare: The Herald. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  8. ^ AFP (28 December 2017). "Zimbabwe general who led coup against Mugabe sworn in as VP". Daily Nation. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  9. ^ Xinhua (19 December 2017). "Zimbabwean president appoints new defense chief". xinhuanet.com. Archived from the original on October 14, 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
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