News / National
UAE to arm Zimbabwe defence forces
10 Mar 2013 at 09:58hrs | Views
The government of the United Arab Emirates has allegedly agreed to provide the Zimbabwe Defence Forces with material and financial support ahead of coming elections.
The UAE ruler, Ras al Khaimah, who was in the country last week on an official visit, reportedly met with top defence officials and pledged his support.
A highly placed military source told The Zimbabwean that part of the funds to be released by the oil rich Arabian country, would be used to purchase top of the range vehicles for senior defence officers in a desperate bid to retain their thinning loyalty to President Robert Mugabe and Zanu-PF.
"Ras al Khaimah came into the country under the guise of exploring business opportunities for the Emirates while in actual fact he wanted to read the political temperature on the ground and find means of rescuing Mugabe and Zanu-PF from imminent defeat at the hands of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and MDC," said the source.
The source said Ras al Khaimah was told that it would be difficult for Mugabe and Zanu-PF to win in a free and fair election without interference of the army.
The Zimbabwe military is reeling under an arms embargo imposed in 2002 by the EU, UK and their allies in response to serious violations of human rights by the Mugabe regime with the use of the army.
The embargo starved the army of military hardware resupplies as all exports of all forms of military requirements from the concerned states were banned.
If the UAE pledge materialises, the Arabian state will have joined China in beefing up military requirements for political purposes. In 2011, China shipped in consignments of military small arms and equipment to strengthen the Zimbabwe military ahead of the referendum and elections expected before the end of 2013.
The military hardware found its way into the country via an indirect and unidentified African intermediary to avoid the radar of western governments.
Before the UAE came up with the pledge for military assistance, China was Zimbabwe's only lifeline.
MDC-T Secretary for Defence, Giles Mutsekwa, said rumours about the UAE funding had reached him, though they were subject to confirmation.
"Judging by the momentum with which the allegations are circulating there could be some element of truth about the UAE pledge to fund the Zimbabwe Defence Forces," said Mutsekwa.
Mutsekwa accused Zanu-PF of personalising state programmes and imposing misplaced priorities on issues that should be agreed at a government level. He said bankrolling the military was not government priority.
"MDC condemns the promised aid in the strongest terms as it is not in the interest of the government and the people of Zimbabwe. Zanu-PF is seeing the end of its reign and will do everything to secure its survival at the polls," Mutsekwa said.
Soldiers were urged to conduct themselves in a professional manner in order that the MDC government will accommodate them after the elections.
Minister of Defence Emerson Mnangagwa and defence forces spokespersons could not be reached for comment.
The UAE ruler, Ras al Khaimah, who was in the country last week on an official visit, reportedly met with top defence officials and pledged his support.
A highly placed military source told The Zimbabwean that part of the funds to be released by the oil rich Arabian country, would be used to purchase top of the range vehicles for senior defence officers in a desperate bid to retain their thinning loyalty to President Robert Mugabe and Zanu-PF.
"Ras al Khaimah came into the country under the guise of exploring business opportunities for the Emirates while in actual fact he wanted to read the political temperature on the ground and find means of rescuing Mugabe and Zanu-PF from imminent defeat at the hands of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and MDC," said the source.
The source said Ras al Khaimah was told that it would be difficult for Mugabe and Zanu-PF to win in a free and fair election without interference of the army.
The Zimbabwe military is reeling under an arms embargo imposed in 2002 by the EU, UK and their allies in response to serious violations of human rights by the Mugabe regime with the use of the army.
The embargo starved the army of military hardware resupplies as all exports of all forms of military requirements from the concerned states were banned.
If the UAE pledge materialises, the Arabian state will have joined China in beefing up military requirements for political purposes. In 2011, China shipped in consignments of military small arms and equipment to strengthen the Zimbabwe military ahead of the referendum and elections expected before the end of 2013.
The military hardware found its way into the country via an indirect and unidentified African intermediary to avoid the radar of western governments.
Before the UAE came up with the pledge for military assistance, China was Zimbabwe's only lifeline.
MDC-T Secretary for Defence, Giles Mutsekwa, said rumours about the UAE funding had reached him, though they were subject to confirmation.
"Judging by the momentum with which the allegations are circulating there could be some element of truth about the UAE pledge to fund the Zimbabwe Defence Forces," said Mutsekwa.
Mutsekwa accused Zanu-PF of personalising state programmes and imposing misplaced priorities on issues that should be agreed at a government level. He said bankrolling the military was not government priority.
"MDC condemns the promised aid in the strongest terms as it is not in the interest of the government and the people of Zimbabwe. Zanu-PF is seeing the end of its reign and will do everything to secure its survival at the polls," Mutsekwa said.
Soldiers were urged to conduct themselves in a professional manner in order that the MDC government will accommodate them after the elections.
Minister of Defence Emerson Mnangagwa and defence forces spokespersons could not be reached for comment.
Source - zimbabwean
