Matebeleland calls for transparency in army, police recruitment

Residents of Matabeleland have called for a decentralized recruitment process for civil servants, including soldiers, police officers, and nurses, amid growing concerns that the region is being overlooked in national recruitment drives.

The Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) recently invited applications for general duty soldiers across the country. However, many aspiring candidates from Matabeleland have expressed frustration, claiming that most successful applicants are from other regions.

In its recruitment notice published last week, the ZNA outlined the requirements for applicants, including five Ordinary Level passes with Grade C or better, an age range of 18 to 22 years, physical and medical fitness, and minimum height and weight criteria. Applications are to be submitted at designated provincial and district offices between February 21 and March 7, 2025.

Development practitioner Thembelani Dube, deputy chairperson of the Rural Community Empowerment Trust, emphasized the need for recruitment to benefit Matabeleland residents.

"The challenge is the influx of individuals from other regions who pretend to be locals, thereby displacing genuine candidates," Dube said. "Devolution principles must be respected, ensuring that each province prioritizes its own residents."

Nkayi Community Parliament Speaker Nhlanhla Ncube echoed these concerns, stating that recruitment in Matabeleland often favors individuals from Mashonaland.

"The recruitment process appears to be a mere publicity stunt, misleading the public while benefiting outsiders," Ncube remarked.

Public policy expert Samukele Hadebe acknowledged that a nationwide recruitment approach is commendable but noted discrepancies in its implementation.

"In practice, the process seems to disadvantage locals. For example, during recruitment periods at Ntabazinduna Barracks, temporary shelters emerge, indicating that some applicants are coming from outside the region," Hadebe observed. "This suggests that external influence is facilitating the recruitment of non-locals, undermining the inclusive policy."

Political analyst Effie Ncube advised that concerns over recruitment imbalances should be backed by concrete evidence rather than assumptions.

"I encourage citizens to gather data and present factual arguments. If recruitment statistics show that outsiders dominate while locals are sidelined, advocacy efforts will carry more weight," Ncube said.

Bubi Community Parliament member Nkosilathi Ncube supported decentralized recruitment, stating that there should be deliberate efforts to recruit individuals based on their indigenous identity.

"There must be a focus on recruiting people according to their original residency, ideally identified through their tribe rather than merely their place of residence," he suggested. "For example, Tongas in Binga, Kalangas in Plumtree, and Vendas in Beitbridge should be prioritized to reflect the diversity of Zimbabwe."

As debates continue, calls for recruitment reform in Matabeleland persist, with residents urging authorities to ensure fair representation in the country’s security and civil service sectors.