President Emmerson Mnangagwa's 39-year-old son, Sean Mnangagwa, is among nine military officers promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel, from major previously.
The state-owned Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) reports that the promotions were made by President Mnangagwa on Wednesday, April 29.
The broadcaster shared, on its Facebook page, two images of Sean Mnangagwa posing for a photograph alongside the other eight promoted soldiers.
As a lieutenant colonel, Sean Mnangagwa's rank is now five levels below that of general, which is the highest in Zimbabwe's military command structure.
Joined military in 2009
Above the lieutenant colonel, is the rank of colonel, then brigadier, major general, lieutenant general and finally, general.
Lieutenant colonel Sean Mnangagwa joined Zimbabwe's armed forces in 2009 as a private, the lowest enlisted military rank.
At the time, his father, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, was serving as Zimbabwe's defence minister during the administration of then-President Robert Mugabe.
Shortly after joining the military, Sean received cadet training, which saw him earn the rank of a commissioned officer.
Serves in presidential guard
Sean is attached to the army and is currently serving in the elite presidential guard, which protects President Mnangagwa.
The soldier, whose mother is First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa, has an identical twin brother called Collins Mnangagwa, an electrical engineer who graduated with a bachelor's degree from the North China Electric Power University in Beijing in 2012.
The twins' father, President Mnangagwa, came to power in 2017 after the long-serving Mugabe vacated office following sustained pressure from the military.
Mnangagwa, a veteran member of the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) party, then went ahead to win elections in 2018 and again in 2023.
Constitutional amendment debate
Currently, Zimbabwe is debating a proposal to amend the country's constitution. If adopted, the reform could extend President Mnangagwa's term by two years, to 2030.
As is now, the constitution indicates that President Mnangagwa should exit office by 2028, which would be the end of his term.
The ruling ZANU-PF, however, says that the president has unfinished work and should be granted a short extension to realise his administration's goals.
