The role of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces

The Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) like any other military institution is a normative organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats.

The military should have the ability to create a cohesive force capable of acting on national defense policy and therefore the first function of the military is to provide military command to defend the national integrity through conventional warfare. 

President Robert Mugabe recently commended the uniformed forces for their professionalism and discipline, which has seen them serve on United Nations observer and peacekeeping missions in conflict-hit areas on several occasions.

Speaking at the 2011 President's Medal Shoot Competition at Cleveland Rifle Range in Harare recently, the Head of State and Government, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, said their discipline and professionalism was a constant source of pride.

"So well, have our forces acquitted themselves that, for years, and on several occasions, they have been called upon to serve on missions in Southern Africa and beyond under the United Nations observer and peacekeeping missions," he said.

According to one serving member of the ZDF, "The military may be employed in a range of missions, many requiring no application of force at all. ZDF is mandated to provide military aid to civil power, that is, assisting, for instance, police when they are faced by professional challenges that require reinforcement like quelling civil strife.

"They also offer military aid to civil government ministries, for example, clean-up campaigns, provision of medical support staff such as doctors and nurses to public hospitals when shortages arise, routine assistance, construction of infrastructures like bridges among other issues."

In view of the above, Zimbabwe National Army commander Lieutenant General Philip Valerio Sibanda defended army presence in districts across Zimbabwe. Lt Gen Sibanda said there was nothing unusual with the soldiers' presence in the rural areas as, they would be assisting Government departments.

He said some of the soldiers would also be going through their training schedules. Lt General Sibanda said the national army was a professional force and like any other armed force, it does preparations for war and re-equipment during peacetime.

His remarks followed media reports that the ZNA had deployed members in rural areas to aid the Zanu-PF campaign ahead of an anticipated general election. "People must understand that as a national army we do not concentrate in one area. Our operations stretch across the breath and length of this country.

"We have troops in various parts of the country doing training and as I have said before some of them will be assisting in various Government departments like health and agriculture.

"It is unfortunate that we have some people who think that when they see army officers in a particular area they think that they are undertaking political activities.

"For example, recently we have had our troops who were doing an opposed river crossing training in Rusape and we read in some private newspapers that the army was campaigning for Zanu-PF. That was utter nonsense and it will remain utter nonsense."

Lt Gen Sibanda said the ZNA had a vision to transform the force in the next five years and become more efficient and effective.

"We want to improve the conditions of service for our troops and beef up our manpower base.

"In the next five years, I can see a very efficient and effective force whose morale is high," he said.

He said the ZNA was facing operational challenges just like any other Government department due to financial constraints as a result of the illegally imposed sanctions. Lt Gen Sibanda said the force was not getting enough resources from Government but it was making efforts to survive within its means.

"We are part and parcel of the Zimbabwean society and if there is a shortage it also affects us.

"Due to the country's economic situation and a lot of inadequate financial provisions, we are not getting enough resources as we may need but we appreciate what Government is doing," he said.

An enhanced public understanding of the military and its operations begins with a firm grasp of the purpose of the armed forces. An appreciation must be developed that, in the end, it is the nation's citizens who are responsible for their national defence. The military is never an enemy of its own country as what the country's detractors are opining in some sections of the society.

Muromba (not real name) who is a Major in the ZDF said, "Civilians create their own grudges by making enemies, then they engage the military to resolve their differences through fighting. Therefore, we are not hostile at all, we cannot take orders to fight from civilians. I wonder why some people in Zimbabwe always talk badly about us as political party stalwarts. "

There is a popular perception of the military and its place in society. The strength of that perception depends on the level of public awareness, which in turn is affected by the role played by the media. The role of media in shaping opinions of citizens in Zimbabwe about the military leaves a lot to be desired as they base their reports on biased and ill-researched stories.

Military leadership are therefore obliged to be sensitive to this public perception and work continually to stay abreast to the changing attitudes in society. Whenever military leaders ignore their relation to the larger society, they put the relationship between the armed forces and society at risk.

The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda for instance by protecting Zimbabwe against another form of colonialism as former colonial masters explore other options to regain control of the national resources, supporting or promoting economic expansion through participation in public works/institutions like parastatals, and as a form of internal social control.

The military in Zimbabwe since independence have had a tradition of valuing peace, order, professionalism and good governance. Some personalities who have no appreciation of this would believe and imagine that, at the moment there is no immediate threat and offer little support for those who point to distant and potential opponents.

The assumption that Zimbabwe is inherently secure, yields a certain indifference to questions of military efficiency and readiness. This natural sense of security tempts some Zimbabweans to divorce themselves from the details of national defence policy, and to treat the strategic direction of the army as a political toy which can be tempered with at random through unjustified calls for security sector reforms and the control of the defence forces along political lines.

While many institutions tend to be conservative by nature, the military is particularly so. Attempts to preserve values tested decades ago, even as the pace of change in society accelerates, reflect this conservatism. The degree to which society fails to be sensitive to the military's need to preserve values that may seem quaint, idealistic, and outdated to the average citizen is troubling for those within the institution. This explains why the military leadership in the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) is worried as they are continually and unduly drawn in public limelight by power-hungry politicians who attempt to politicize them.

ZDF members, we are told, harbour an apprehension that, only members of the profession of arms understand the nature of their calling or truly appreciate their contribution to the nation. Hence, the need to observe their chain of command as opposed to saluting politicians who are not part of their organizational structure. Qualms over who they should salute outside their chain of command are merely trivialities which are meant to side track them from their core-responsibilities of defending the country.

If, the Zimbabwean society makes noise about the availability of the army in some parts of the country, it can only lead members of the military to harbour feelings of alienation from the larger society of which they are a part. Such feelings can breed a kind of insularity as members seek, from within, an affirmation of the worthiness of the group's endeavours. Insularity and isolation can produce a resistance to open dealings by members of the military in their relationship with the rest of society. So, society should make well thought noises based on real information about independent national institutions to create harmony.

The role of ZDF personnel should never be taken lightly. They are leaders, organizers, tacticians, strategists, and managers whose duties entail enormous responsibilities. They are accountable for operational efficiency and effectiveness and overseeing the training, discipline, welfare, and career development of the soldiers under their command. These strengths are vital in helping to uphold our nation's defense and well-being.

The military must constantly resist the temptation of being roped into politics, as this would compromise the way they execute their constitutional duties. And Zimbabweans should cherish the peace that is prevalent in the country due to the competent work, which is being done by the ZDF. So let's stop interfering with the integrity of the army, as we risky shooting ourselves in the feet.