News / National
43 Army Commandos graduate
04 Apr 2014 at 06:21hrs | Views
Zimbabwe National Army personnel should embrace and contribute meaningfully to successful implementation of the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation, an official has said.
Addressing 43 Commando graduates at Wafa Wafa Training Camp in Kariba on Saturday, Colonel Admire Ephius Mahachi said only though peace and security would the country experience sustainable development.
"As the defence forces, we are expected to contribute to Zim-Asset as an organisation and in our individual capacities," he said.
"We should create a peaceful environment for economic development as there cannot be any development without peace.
"The Zim-Asset plan is expected to consolidate the gains of our economic independence brought about by the land reform, indigenisation and economic empowerment programmes.
Defence forces needed to be knowledgeable of such programmes and contribute towards their success.
Commando Regiment Commanding Officer Lieutenant-Colonel Donald Chidawanyika urged the new Commandos to continue sharpening their skills.
"The skills you acquired here are the ones that ensured the survival of your seniors whose boat capsized in the Atlantic Ocean last year while on SADC Special forces training (off the coast of Namibia)," he said.
"They swam more than four kilometres to safety because they were resilient.
"So if you falter on sharpening your skills, you will have no one, but yourselves to blame."
The course started with 73 candidates and 30 dropped out of the gruelling commando selection and skills training.
Their curriculum included physical training, mountaineering, map reading, special forces weapon training, low intensity operations, reconnaissance, anti-hijacking, ground-to-air control and bush craft.
Addressing 43 Commando graduates at Wafa Wafa Training Camp in Kariba on Saturday, Colonel Admire Ephius Mahachi said only though peace and security would the country experience sustainable development.
"As the defence forces, we are expected to contribute to Zim-Asset as an organisation and in our individual capacities," he said.
"We should create a peaceful environment for economic development as there cannot be any development without peace.
"The Zim-Asset plan is expected to consolidate the gains of our economic independence brought about by the land reform, indigenisation and economic empowerment programmes.
Defence forces needed to be knowledgeable of such programmes and contribute towards their success.
"The skills you acquired here are the ones that ensured the survival of your seniors whose boat capsized in the Atlantic Ocean last year while on SADC Special forces training (off the coast of Namibia)," he said.
"They swam more than four kilometres to safety because they were resilient.
"So if you falter on sharpening your skills, you will have no one, but yourselves to blame."
The course started with 73 candidates and 30 dropped out of the gruelling commando selection and skills training.
Their curriculum included physical training, mountaineering, map reading, special forces weapon training, low intensity operations, reconnaissance, anti-hijacking, ground-to-air control and bush craft.
Source - chronicle
