adminMinister Patrick Chinamasa has said.
He said this yesterday during a lecture on the implications of the new Constitution to senior officers from the Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Prison Services and President’s Office at the National Defence College.
“The MDC-T has been very unhappy about the fact that we have in your midst officers who served as guerilla fighters for the liberation of this country.
“They say that makes security services not neutral and partisan to Zanu-PF because these guerilla fighters fought under liberation movements Zipra and Zanla.
“The suggestions are that you retire. You must send into retirement any of those officers who served,” he said.
Minister Chinamasa said Zanu-PF has dismissed these misplaced security reform demands because they were part of the MDC-T regime change agenda.
“It will not happen under our watch. We know its coming from their campaign to effect a regime change,” he said adding that the demands were coming from a campaign to effect a regime change.
He said the regime change agenda was to kill and eliminate Zanu-PF, a key political player in politics.
“They do not want people who have the memory of oppression and the struggle we went through to remove that operation,” he said.
Minister Chinamasa said soldiers should defend territorial integrity, culture and the economy particularly now that the country has the indigenisation policy.
He said the new Constitution enshrined the values of the liberation struggle.
“So whoever comes and tries to play havoc with those values is asking for trouble.
“We have enshrined in the Constitution for an Act of Parliament to provide war veterans with pensions, their welfare and the welfare of their children,” he said.
Minister Chinamasa said the new Constitution reinforces the defence forces to respect fundamental rights and freedoms of all persons and to be non partisan.
It also provides that the defence forces be national in character, patriotic, professional and subordinate to civilian authority.
“Section 208 (Conduct of Members of Security Services) prohibits any partisan political activity by units and members of the security services without, at the same time taking away their political rights as citizens to vote,” he said.
He said Section 208 (3) of the Constitution outlaws their active participation in politics or holding of any political office in a party or organisation.
He noted that this section should not be interpreted as alienating members freedom of association and their right to vote, which are entrenched in Chapter 4 of the Constitution.
Minister Chinamasa said no provisions in the new Constitution alters or curtails the primary and secondary roles of the security services of defending Zimbabwe and providing assistance to civil authorities upon request or during times of emergencies, as well as taking part in peace support operations.
He saluted the late General Solomon Mujuru (Retired) for his immense contribution to the advancement of the uniformed forces in Zimbabwe.
“I give credit to commanders like the late General Mujuru (Rtd) who despite his limitations in terms of academic education was able to pronounce, promote and instigate a policy of advancement among the uniformed forces.
“For that, I am perpetually grateful to him,” he said.
Minister Chinamasa clarified that the National Security Council provided for under Section 209 of the new constitution with the Joint Operations Command System, saying it was an operational level co-ordination system designed to bring co-ordination, singleness of purpose and synergy among various formations and units of security services.
“It is neither subsumed nor replaced by the National Security Council which belongs to the grand strategic level of the national strategic hierarchy.
“JOC may be likened to the operational commands like Horn of Africa in the American system or NOCOC in South Africa,” he said.
He said the terms of the commanders of the defence forces was now limited to two-five year terms.
Online Reporter