President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe with his military forces. The ruling ZANU-PF party negotiated with the opposition to form a national unity government in Harare.
Originally uploaded by Pan-African News Wire File Photos
By Sydney Kawadza
Zimbabwe Herald
President Mugabe has hailed the Zimbabwe Defence Forces for maintaining professionalism despite the paucity of resources available to uniformed services.
Addressing thousands of Zimbabweans at the 30th anniversary of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces at the National Sports Stadium in Harare yesterday, President Mugabe said the commendable performance by the uniformed services lay in professional training and development programmes.
The Commander-in-Chief of the ZDF also conferred two Grand Commander and 13 Grand Officer of the Zimbabwe Order of Merit to serving, retired and deceased members of the force.
"Such training exposes members of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces to the most current information on defence and security issues and ensures that they are kept abreast of global trends in military technological advancement and development," he said.
ZDF runs successful Junior Staff and Joint Command and Staff courses that have drawn officers from outside Zimbabwe.
The force has also seconded officers to the South African Defence Forces to assist in pilot training and other services.
President Mugabe said since its formation three decades ago, the ZDF had acquitted itself well in promoting a common vision and ethos.
"The forces have blended with the accommodative policy of national reconciliation that was adopted by Government at Independence," he said.
The defence forces, the President said, had been involved in the construction of bridges, classroom blocks and clinics, and participating in evacuation at emergency sites such as road traffic accidents.
The ZDF has also worked with the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare in malaria and other disease control programmes.
Zimbabwe’s uniformed services have been commended for their contribution to United Nations peacekeeping and support operations.
"The Defence Forces are proud that through their participation in these important missions, they have contributed to the existence of international peace.
"It is a common fact that conflicts are becoming a common feature, especially in the developing world and the ability to amicably resolve them is, therefore, an achievement on the part of both regional organisations and the United Nations," he said.
President Mugabe said the landmine problem inherited at Independence continued to present a great threat to communities.
"Government is faced with the challenge of funding the de-mining of these areas single-handedly, following the withdrawal of aid by the donor community at the onset of our land reform programme.
"De-mining is, however, continuing through the valiant efforts and sacrifices of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces De-mining Engineers Squadron."
President Mugabe bemoaned the failure to adequately reward the uniformed personnel for their patriotic and professional conduct.
"Government is, however, aware of the situation and is considering possible ways of addressing the plight of the defence forces."
He urged the services to remain loyal and jealously guard Zimbabwe’s Independence, sovereignty and natural resources.
"Remain wary of renewed subtle and imperialistic efforts to dispossess us of the control of our natural resources," he said.
The Zimbabwe Order of Merit Awards are conferred on senior and high-ranking officers in recognition of their services to the nation.
Those conferred with the Grand Commander of the Zimbabwe Order of Merit are late national hero Retired Lieutenant-General Amoth Nobert Chimombe and Rtd Major-Gen Jevan Ben Maseko.
Lt-Gen Chimombe joined the liberation war in 1973 and received military training in Mgagao, Tanzania, and rose through the ranks to become a member of the Joint Command.
He was appointed Zanla deputy chief of training in 1978 before he was assigned to command Gaza Province.
The much-decorated soldier raised the first-ever Zimbabwe national flag on midnight April 17, 1980 at Rufaro Stadium as the nation ushered in Independence.
Rtd Lt-Gen Chimombe held several appointments including Brigadier-General (General Staff) and Army Headquarters Chief-of-Staff (Administration) as well as international peacekeeping command posts.
Rtd Maj-Gen Maseko joined the Second Chimurenga in 1969 and received military training at Morogoro, Tanzania, and the then Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
He was deployed to northern and western Zimbabwe before being appointed instructor at Morogoro in 1972.
Rtd Maj-Gen Maseko rose through the ranks to become a member of the Zipra High Command and was appointed Chief-of-Staff (Operations).
In 1980, he played a vital role in the integration of the three fighting armies — Zanla, Zipra and Rhodesian Forces — into the Zimbabwe National Army and the Air Force of Zimbabwe.
As a member of the Joint High Command, Rtd Maj-Gen Maseko is credited with being instrumental in standardising the ZNA’s Quartermaster procedures.
He held several appointments in the army before being deployed as Zimbabwe’s top envoy to Algeria, Russia and Cuba.
Thirteen officers received the Grand Officer of the Zimbabwe Order of Merit.
These are Major-General Edzai Chingono (Rtd), Maj-Gen Trust Mugoba, Brigadier-General Gibbs Kachanha (late), Brig-Gen Ramos Antony Maponga (late), Brig-Gen Walter Kanhanga (Rtd), Brig-Gen Ambrose Mutinhiri (Rtd) and Flight-Lieutenant Shumirai Sheba Tavarwisa (late).
Serving officers honoured are Brigadier-Generals Douglas Nyikayaramba, John Chris Mapande, Kasirai Chiziva, Noel Mutisi and Gerald Gwinji.
The officers were honoured for distinguishing themselves as "principled, loyal, dedicated and competent military leaders in their service" to Zimbabwe.
They also played varying roles in the liberation struggle and moulding the ZDF into a versatile and professional force.
The officers played a part in initiating and monitoring successful implementation of key operational, administrative and developmental programmes to ensure national security.
Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa said the ZDF had transformed itself into a formidable and modern military institution capable of safeguarding Zimbabwe’s Independence.
"It has also been able to meet its regional and international peacekeeping and peace-building duties in a commendable manner," he said.
He said the force continued to play an important role in Zimbabwe’s socio-economic development and ensuring peace.
Mock drills thrill crowds at ZDF celebrations
Herald Reporters
THE National Sports Stadium in Harare yesterday turned into a sea of colour as thousands of Zimbabweans thronged the arena for the main Defence Forces Day celebrations.
It was the same across the country as people flocked to various centres for the provincial celebrations, which were marked by performances from various units of Zimbabwe’s Defence Forces.
Proceedings in Harare started at 9am with the arrival of the Commander-in-Chief of the ZDF, President Mugabe.
The crowds burst into song and dance when the Presidential motorcade rolled into the recently refurbished stadium.
The President, who was accompanied by ZDF Commander General Constantine Chiwenga, raised a fist salute to the multitudes as he made his way to the dais just in front of the VVIP seating area where the First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe — who had arrived about five minutes earlier — was already seated.
Vice President John Nkomo and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai were already seated along with other dignita-ries.
The President then took a salute from members of the ZDF, after a flypast by Air Force of Zimbabwe helicopters in star formation.
He then inspected the parade, which afterwards marched in slow and quick time past his dais before advancing in review order to loud cheers.
The parade marched off the field after the Commander-in-Chief’s address to the nation.
ZDF drills entertained the crowd and first to take to the stage was the internationally-acclaimed AFZ Traditional Dance Troupe with its trademark acrobatics.
Paratroopers then descended from the skies and were soon followed by the military’s dog section.
The parachuting manoeuvres were not without incident as a South Africa-based photographer sustained minor injuries when one of the paratroopers got his bearings slightly wrong and virtually landed on her.
Angela Jimu (30) sustained a few bruises on her right arm, according to Zimbabwe Defence Forces spokesperson, Colonel Ben Ncube.
"Medics from the ministry of health have attended to her and she was given pain killers," he said.
Col Ncube said the photographer was discharged from hospital because her condition was not serious.
He urged the public, especially journalists, not to get too close to such displays.
The mock battles were — as usual — a firm favourite as evidenced by the crowd’s roaring approval, while the boom of guns sent children and the faint-hearted scampering for cover.
Pupils from 2 Brigade Primary School mounted their junior soldiers’ parade.
With military precision, the official proceedings ended at 11:30am with dignitaries leaving the arena.
The National Sports Stadium reverted to its more regular fare of football matches involving Zimbabwe Women Services soccer teams, and between Black Rhinos and Chapungu football clubs.
In Mashonaland West, a crowd congregated at Chinhoyi Stadium to celebrate Defence Forces Day.
Governor and Resident Minister Faber Chidarikire inspected a parade mounted by the AFZ and the ZNA before he read President Mugabe’s speech.
People at the stadium were treated to military drills, canine displays and marshal arts in addition to a competition involving local soccer teams.
The Masvingo celebrations started at Chikapo Police Station and members of the ZNA, accompanied by drum majorettes, marched to Mucheke Stadium were the main activities were held.
Masvingo Governor Titus Maluleke inspected the parade — which marched in slow and quick time — mounted by four uniformed detachments and read the Presidents speech.
The crowd was treated to mock battle drills performed by a platoon from 4:3 Battalion and drum majorettes whose drums blended well with the music from the Army Signals Corps.
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