Mnangagwa, who is currently on leave, has announced that he will be making changes to his leadership team. Mnangagwa returns in the first week of February.
In 2025, Mnangagwa made wide ranging military changes that resulted in the replacement of the entire security structure.
In 2025, President Emmerson Mnangagwa carried out several significant cabinet changes and security leadership reshuffles. Below is the simple list of those removed or reassigned:
Security Leadership
While not cabinet members, these high-level removals in 2025 were a major focus of political discussion:
Lt. Gen. Anselem Sanyatwe: Retired as Commander of the Zimbabwe National Army (reassigned to the civilian role of Minister of Sports).
Godwin Matanga: Retired as Police Commissioner-General (replaced by Stephen Mutamba).
Isaac Moyo: Removed as Director-General of the Central Intelligence Organization (replaced by Fulton Mangwanya).
Key Events for Today
1. Zimbabwean schools open today
2. Zimpapers Innovation Awards on 30 January
Business
1. RBZ produes quarterly snapshot
2. Tesla Cybercab starts testing in the USA. Six companies testing Self driving Cabs in the USA.
3. Deepseek to release its newest model
Africa
1. The bill that passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a 340 to 54 vote on January 12, 2026, is known as the AGOA Extension Act (H.R. 6500). It must still clear the US Senate and be signed by President Donald Trump, leaving room for amendments that could impose strict conditions on South Africa. The House Version (Passed Jan 12, 2026): The U.S. House of Representatives just passed a bill (340 to 54) to extend AGOA until December 2028. This bill does not explicitly ban South Africa, but it also provides no special protection for it. It leaves the final decision on eligibility to President Trump’s administration. The bill defines eligible products as those coming from a country “designated by the President” as a beneficiary. This means the bill gives President Trump full authority to decide if South Africa remains on the list. It does not force him to include them, but it also doesn’t legally bar him from doing so. The bill allows South African businesses (and others) to claim back duties paid on exports to the U.S. since the previous act expired in September 2025—provided they are ultimately designated as eligible by the President. The Senate Version (Pending): A rival bill in the Senate is much more aggressive. It explicitly excludes South Africa and mandates a full “National Security Review” of the U.S.-South Africa relationship before they can be let back in.
2. John Steenhuisen cleared on fraud charges for misusing the DA’s party credit card.
3. A second young woman killed after crossing the railway line while wearing headphones.
4. Lin Yunhua is a Chinese national and notorious wildlife trafficking kingpin who led the Lin-Zhang syndicate, one of Africa’s most prolific illegal wildlife trade networks. As of January 13, 2026, he remains in custody in Malawi facing new corruption trials. Lin and his wife, Qin Hua Zhang, moved to Malawi in 2009. They established a syndicate that transformed the country into a regional hub for smuggling rhino horns, elephant ivory, and pangolin scales. In July 2025, former President Lazarus Chakwera granted Lin a presidential pardon as part of Malawi’s 61st Independence Anniversary celebrations. The decision sparked massive international outcry from conservation groups, who viewed it as a major setback for wildlife protection. While his wife was reportedly released and left the country, Lin remained in custody due to pending separate charges. He is also accused of persuading prison officials to allow him unauthorized excursions from Maula Prison to his private residences between 2022 and 2023 while he was supposedly serving his sentence.
5. Cost of living in Malawi rises to K1 000 000 per month
Community
Mve promotion
Notes
The U.S. Senate is expected to take up the bill this month. They must reconcile the “clean” House extension (which omits South Africa’s name but allows presidential discretion) with the “strict” Senate bill (S. 2958) that explicitly kicks South Africa out.
3. Inclusion of a “Sanctions List”
A entirely new section (Section 204) has been added that was absent in all prior versions of the law. This requires the President to provide:
A classified list of senior South African government officials and members of the ANC (African National Congress).
The list must identify individuals who meet criteria for Global Magnitsky Act sanctions (typically involving corruption or human rights abuses).
Congress is attempting to attach the AGOA renewal to a broader government funding bill (a Continuing Resolution) to ensure it passes quickly. This means a final legislative decision is likely before the end of February 2026
2. The Review Period (March – July 2026)
If the current legislative language holds, the following “countdown” begins the moment President Trump signs the bill:
120-Day Review (April/May 2026): The President must submit a report to Congress regarding South Africa’s trade barriers and its alignment with U.S. adversaries (China, Russia, Hamas).
The “Certification” Deadline (June 2026): The President must explicitly certify whether South Africa is “undermining U.S. national security.”
If Yes: South Africa loses AGOA eligibility immediately.
If No: South Africa remains in, but likely with heavy conditions.
Annual Eligibility Hearing (July 18, 2026): The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has already scheduled a public hearing for this date to take testimony on which countries should remain eligible for the 2027 cycle.
Cabinet Ministers Fired In 2025
Winston Chitando: Removed as Minister of Mines and Mining Development (replaced by Polite Kambamura).
Kirsty Coventry: Stepped down as Minister of Sports, Recreation, Arts, and Culture (following her election as IOC President).
Sithembiso Nyoni: Removed as Minister of Environment, Climate, and Wildlife (replaced by Evelyn Ndlovu).
July Moyo: Moved from Public Service, Labour, and Social Welfare to Minister of Energy and Power Development.
Edgar Moyo: Moved from Energy and Power Development to Minister of Public Service, Labour, and Social Welfare.
