Mugabe moves to rebrand the Joint Operations Command

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe has set in motion the process to rebrand the Joint Operations Command (JOC) as National Security Council (NSC) through an Act of Parliament to enable the body to advise the government on national security policy and strategies.

JOC, a military establishment accused of spearheading most State-sponsored atrocities since independence, is made up of Zimbabwe Defence Forces chief Constantine Chiwenga, Air Force boss Perrance Shiri, Zimbabwe Republic Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri, prisons boss Paradzai Zimondi and intelligence chief Happyton Bonyongwe.

In his speech to mark the official opening of Third Session of the Eighth Parliament which was supposed to be presented on Tuesday, Mugabe said: "The National Security Council Amendment Bill, which provides for the establishment of the National Security Council to advise the government on national security policy and strategies will be brought before Parliament during this session."