Online Reporter
Columbus Mabika
Herald Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Defence Forces, through the National Defence Policy, remains committed and steadfast in ensuring a conducive environment for the attainment of national visions, economic development and promoting positive, prosperous relations with other nations, the Deputy Minister of Defence, Brigadier General (Retired), Levi Mayihlome, has said.
He made the remarks yesterday while presenting a topic on defence policy to students of the Joint Command Staff Course at the Zimbabwe Staff College in Harare.
The Defence Policy, he said, represents a plan of action and guidelines for the Defence Forces to follow to achieve the desired goal of defending the territorial integrity, independence and national interests of Zimbabwe.
Brig-Gen Mayihlome said the Defence Policy has a direct linkage with the state of the economy and political developments within which it is formulated.
It is determined by the prevailing political climate in the country, regional neighbours and the wider global geo-political environment.
“The Defence Policy guides the Defence Forces in carrying out their constitutional mandate of creating a peaceful and conducive environment for economic development as well as ensuring the socio-political stability and well-being of Zimbabwe.
“Coming from a military background, you are aware that the military power of a country constitutes one of the most critical elements of national power alongside others such as the economy, diplomacy, information, geography, resources and population.
“Military power is, however, the ultimate instrument of coercion that the State uses only as a last resort whenever the situation demands,” he said.
Brig-Gen Mayihlome said it is apparent that the Defence Policy is not static, but rather a dynamic and evolving phenomenon that responds to changing times, political landscapes and technological developments and as such is guided by the periodic National Security Directives, presidential statements and other ministerial-level speeches and policy statements.
Turning to policy formulation, Brig-Gen Mayihlome said the supreme national policy formulating body is the National Security Council that is chaired by the President, comprising senior members of Cabinet, namely the two Vice Presidents as well as Ministers of State for National Security, Defence, Home Affairs and Culture, Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Finance and Economic Development and Justice.
The council defines the national policy objectives and gives political direction for the national effort.
On regional security, Brig-Gen Mayihlome said SADC’s political situation remains relatively stable, though the region continues to witness an influx of undocumented immigrants from the Horn of Africa, West Africa and Asia, often with the assistance of international human trafficking syndicates.
“The region is therefore concerned with the fact that irregular migration of this nature has the potential of exporting terrorism from the migrants’ areas of origin to the Southern African region.
“Such a development not only aggravates domestic security challenges but may also be used as a justification for the rapid deployment of the Western military to the region under the pretext of pursuing the agenda of prosecuting the “global war on terror,” he said.
In this respect, Brig-Gen Mayihlome said, SADC has set up the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security to deal with inter-and intra-state conflict resolution while recognising the sovereignty and territorial integrity of member states.
The other mechanisms in place for resolving disputes peacefully in SADC are bilateral Joint Permanent Commissions on Defence and Security, the SADC Mutual Defence Pact and the SADC Standby Brigade.
