Joe Muzvidziwa

Brigadier-General Joe Muzvidziwa was promoted in place from Col., to command the 3rd Brigade, headquartered in Manicaland. In March 2019, following Cyclone Idai, his command assisted victims. In September 2019 he was Commandant Zimbabwe Staff College for the Combined Joint African Exercise.

Personal Details

No information could be found on his age, place of birth, or family.

School / Education

No information could be found on his Junior or High School, or any tertiary education.

Service / Career

16 February 2019 - Promoted from the rank of Colonel to Brigadier-General.
Along with Brigadier-Generals Wilfred Kamusikiri, Earnest Shamu, Simo Maseko, Shadreck Vezha, Norman Matuvhunge and Joshua Chikanga, the investiture took place at Josiah Magama Tongogara Barracks. ^[1]

Events

In February 2018, 3rd Brigade, which is the Manicaland military headquarters, had a new commander - Brigadier-General Joe Muzvidziwa. He took over the command from Brigadier General Lazarus Gutu. Gutu was reassigned in Harare in a different capacity. “I am one of the few privileged Commanders who were elevated while remaining in the same formation and this allows me a chance to consolidate and emphasise areas that I think have been lagging behind in the formation,” Muzvidziwa said. ^[2]

3rd Brigade ZNA, played a critical role in the evacuation of pupils at St Charles Lwanga School in Chimanimani following the devastating Cyclone Idai in March 2019. The Commander, Joe Muzvidziwa had to use his personal vehicle to ferry injured pupils. In a statement, ZNA director of public relations Lieutenant Alphios Makotore said: "3 Infantry Brigade soldiers were heavily involved in rescue operations to evacuate the injured and the dead to hospitals in Mutare and Chipinge, respectively. The Military believes that the final death toll from Cyclone Idai could exceed 500 after hundreds of bodies were seen floating in Mozambique. Major General (sic) Joe Muzvidziwa, the 3 Infantry Brigade commander leading rescue efforts in Manicaland said that most of the damage occurred in the Rusitu Valley. ^[3] ^[4]

Speaking at the September 2019 opening of a week-long Combined Joint African Exercise (CJAX) at the Zimbabwe Staff College in Harare, Commandant Zimbabwe Staff College Brigadier Joe Muzvidziwa said the exercise was part of continued peace support operations. CJAX is a regional annual event on the calendar of African staff colleges. “As a college, we attach great importance to the relationship amongst participating colleges which has been growing over the years. This is a sign of recognition for the role the Zimbabwe Staff College plays in training peace operations in a complex, multi-sectoral and multi-dimensional environment,” he said. This year’s edition of CJAX is facilitated by the British Peace Support Team and is being conducted simultaneously by the staff colleges of Botswana, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe, with Malawi in attendance while Angola, Ghana, Namibia and Mozambique retained their observer status. ^[5]