Online Reporter
Freedom Mupanedemo, Midlands Bureau
Under a scorching, rain-making sun that hung over Gweru yesterday, 105 graduating officer cadets stood in a striking cow‑horn formation on the parade square, resolutely awaiting President Mnangagwa’s arrival to commission them as military officers.
The colourful ceremony capped 21 gruelling months of intensive training — a demanding process that saw 68 of the original 170 recruits for the Regular Officer Cadet Course 3/41/24 fall away before completion.
Fused with neatly formed detachments from the supporting troops, the officer cadets stood tall, motionless in their elegant smart green suits, excitedly wadding up the heat from the direct sun.
They waited to graduate from ordinary and civilian life into that of trained, disciplined, professional and patriotic military officers.
Using flute and trumpet, the military band serenaded the newly commissioned officers, parents, relatives and guardians who had come to witness the momentous event with a sense of pride and national identity.
In no moments after forming the parade, President Mnangagwa, who was the reviewing officer as Commander in Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, arrived and walked through the parade for inspection soon after the singing of the National Anthem.
In his speech, the President congratulated the newly commissioned officers as he commended the Zimbabwe National Army for “another injection of future military leaders”, a milestone he said shows the commitment by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces to improve leadership and operational competence in a world where warfare and defence are no longer defined solely by physical strength and traditional weaponry.
“The graduation of this Regular Officer Cadet Course Number 3/41/24 is another injection of future military leaders following their gruelling 21 months of training, which began in May 2024,” said President Mnangagwa.
“This milestone success demonstrates the ongoing prioritisation by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces to improve leadership and operational competencies of junior officers to sustain a strong and capable defence force.”
The President said the newly commissioned officers were the first batch of a joint training by the Zimbabwe National Army and the Air Force of Zimbabwe.
“The Pass Out Parade we are celebrating marks the end of the first joint training undertaken here at the Academy involving our Zimbabwe National Army and Air Force of Zimbabwe, from the initial entry phase.
“This approach is commendable towards enhancing interoperability between the two services, improved unity of command as well as communication,” he said.
The Zimbabwe Defence Forces, he added, should take note of the changing military global trends to produce complete officers who are capable of safeguarding the integrity of the country.
He commended the academy for incorporating the Midlands State University to provide the academic side of their training.
“I commend the Zimbabwe Defence Forces for the ongoing recognition that the 21st century warfare and defence are no longer defined solely by physical strength.
“The Academy’s incorporation of lessons in the fields of Information Communication Technology, Geo-spatial Intelligence and Asymmetric Warfare has adequately equipped Cadets with skills in line with current needs and the military arena of the future,” said the President.
He urged the new officer cadets to live by their oaths and embrace new technologies in defending the sovereignty of the country.
“Officer Cadets are called upon to embrace new and emerging technologies not as optional skills but fundamental instruments of modern military leadership.
“Similarly, the importance of knowledge about our country’s rich history, including the brutal journey under colonialism and the oppressive racist Ian Smith regime, culminating in the protracted war of liberation, must never be taken for granted,” said President Mnangagwa. He emphasised that Zimbabweans were masters of their own destiny as he urged the new military officers to be patriotic and resolute in defending the country’s integrity.
“As Zimbabweans, we are masters of our own destiny and we make no apologies for this…you the new members of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, are called upon to be unflinching patriots right from this onset and ideologically grounded throughout your careers,” said President Mnangagwa.
He further stated that Zimbabwe will continue to collaborate with regional armies in the quest to safeguard the territorial integrity of the region, with the Zimbabwe Military Academy currently training a total of 20 students drawn from the SADC countries. “Regional collaboration among armies strengthens collective security and peacekeeping efforts.
Through the Southern African Development Community and the African Union, we are strengthening partnerships that safeguard our region against terrorism, instability, and cyber warfare, among other emerging threats.
“To this end, it is commendable that the ZMA is playing a vital role in support of military diplomacy. The total of 20 allied stunts drawn from SADC countries currently undergoing cadet training at this Academy reflects my Government’s determination to contribute to the quest for finding lasting peace, security and stability,” said President Mnangagwa.
