Lieutenant General (Retired) Anselem Nhamo Sanyatwe is a prominent Zimbabwean military officer, diplomat, and politician, currently serving as Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation (appointed March 2025). A former Commander of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA), Sanyatwe is known for his close alliance with Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, with whom he shares a long-standing military and political relationship.
Sanyatwe rose to national prominence as head of the Presidential Guard and was the tactical commander during the controversial military crackdown on post-election protests in Harare on August 1, 2018. The incident, which left six civilians dead, led to his sanctioning by the United States and the United Kingdom for alleged human rights violations.
In 2019, he was appointed Ambassador to Tanzania in what many saw as a political sideline. However, his return to military leadership in 2023 as ZNA Commander signaled his enduring influence within Zimbabwe’s security establishment. His recent appointment to Cabinet further reflects the continued entrenchment of military figures in national governance.
Sanyatwe is married to Chido Sanyatwe, ZANU-PF Member of Parliament for Nyanga North. His career embodies the deep ties between Zimbabwe’s military elite and political power structures in the post-Mugabe era.
