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backgrounds should it assume power as members of the force will resist such divisive andretrogressive moves, retired members of the defence forces have warned.
They said those fromZanla and Zipra wings — most of whom fought the liberation struggle — would not tolerate such actions.
In a policy document drafted in February during a retreat in Nyanga titled “Policy Discussion Papers — Security Sector Cluster: 1. Defence and National Security 2. Home Affairs” leaked to The Herald, the party threatened to implement a raft of changes in the army and the police.
MDC-T’s defence and security portfolio is headed by Mr Giles Mutsekwa, who served in the Rhodesian security forces alongside other ex-Rhodesian security men in the party’s rank and file.
The Zimbabwe Defence Forces was formed by integrating former Zanla and Zipra forces with Rhodesian Front soldiers, and in saying it would fire those with a guerilla background and replace them with foreigners, analysts say, MDC-T is in fact exposing its wish to engage ex-RF men, many of whom took early retirement.
The party says it seeks to whittle the number of serving soldiers, arguing the country was not “confronted with an imminent war,” while the Zimbabwe Republic Police would be renamed the Zimbabwe Republic Services.
The party intends to hire senior police officers from the region and some Western countries to instil “professionalism” in the force.
The security document, sources say, was drafted under the tutelage of a CIA operative whose name The Herald is still to verify.
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Retired Lieutenant-General Mike Nyambuya said MDC-T was trying to wipe out the history of the country’s liberation struggle in critical state installations.
“Their suggestion (to fire all serving security chiefs with Zanla or Zipra background) is not sustainable . . . in fact it’s political suicide.
“The history of Zimbabwe is well known. We attained our independence through a protracted liberation struggle. We have people who went through the struggle who are still in that structure (army) and their policy is targeted at those people. You cannot just dismiss servicemen like that. They are trying to divide the army, which is suicidal,” said Rtd Lt-Gen Nyambuya.
MDC-T asserted that for political, strategic and economic reasons, the ZDF would be a volunteer force consisting of a small full time force.
Reads the document in part; “It (ZDF) will comprise a relatively small full time (or permanent) force, backed up by a sufficiently large controlled reserve which consists of trained personnel who have served, but have since departed from the ZDF.
“These people can be called up again if required. A basic structure of this nature is extremely flexible and cost-effective.
“It will also provide ongoing interaction between career soldiers and citizen soldiers.”
MDC-T claimed that Zanu-PF abused ZDF, hence the need to overhaul it.
“The goal of the security under Zanu-PF Government was to perpetuate their rule against domestic electoral resistance and international censure on the abuse of citizens’ rights by armed state organs.
Retired Major James Kaunye said suggestions by MDC-T were coming from a party that was clueless on how to govern and unite the country.
Rtd Maj Kaunye, who is also national spokesperson for the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association, said MDC-T was supposed to copy from President Mugabe, a well-respected statesman who united Zipra, Zanla and Rhodesian forces to become one unit.
This called for great acumen given the fact that the country was coming out of a war and there was a lot of mistrust among members of the force.
“The idea of trying to victimise members of the force does not work. These people defend the country’s territorial integrity and they do not distinguish the people on political grounds. They defend everyone. It’s their job to defend the country from puppet regimes.
“What the MDC-T is suggesting is a recipe for disaster. They are copying this from America and the British who sometimes retire senior army officials whenever there is a new Government and they are being told it works.
“They are being told that as long as these people are there, they will orient other soldiers about the need to defend this country and they want to cut that link. The British tried it when they sent the British Military Advisory Team soon after independence, but they failed to kill the spirit of nationalism among our soldiers. They cannot manipulate members of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces,” he said.
Retired Major Anywhere Mutambudzi said Zimbabwe got its independence after combined efforts by Zanla and Zipra forces and the MDC-T was supposed to be warned against trying to rub that invaluable history.
“If you sideline these people, you are saying you are anti-Zimbabwe. Those statements are divisive and dangerous. The message that I give to other members of the force who might be affected by these reports is to remain united and never allow themselves to be divided,” he said.
Online Reporter