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struggle, Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa said yesterday.
Minister Mnangagwa made the remarks while presenting a paper on Zimbabwe’s Defence Policy at the National Defence College in Harare.
The MDC formations are demanding, among other things, security sector reforms before the country holds harmonised elections this year.
Minister Mnangagwa was yesterday categoric that such reforms would not be undertaken as long as the revolutionary Zanu-PF was alive.
“As long as we are here in leadership, we will make sure the Defence Forces of the Republic of Zimbabwe will continue to defend the national interests and to safeguard our values and ideals which our people died for,” he said. Minister Mnangagwa said those advocating for security sector reforms were trying to bring about regime change in Zimbabwe.
“The current Government is anxious to reform you. Anxious with security sector reforms. They do not want to have a Defence Forces that is knowledgeable, focused and revolutionary. We are against it.
“The defence forces are an element of national power but the inclusive Government does not want to hear that. They would want a kind of defence force that is pliant to foreign interests, that allows expropriation of national resources without question,” he said.
“They want to hear that you are compliant, that you accept security sector reforms. What does that mean? It means to have non-governmental organisations and trade unions operating in the defence forces. Pasi nazvo! They would want you to say you are non-political, you must serve any Government.”
He said it was ironic that the USA was part of those calling for security sector reforms yet it was not reforming its own systems.
“Every American civil military says America first. The national interests of America come first.
“They are taught as children to die for America but they come and teach you differently to uphold international best practices, what nonsense is that?”
Minister Mnangwagwa said the ZDF cannot achieve its goals of safeguarding national interests if it depends on Treasury for funding and underpinned the need for the sector to be involved in the country’s economic development.
“That cannot be achieved if we rely on Biti. We cannot depend on allocation from the fiscus alone.
“This is why I have decided that the ZDF will be involved in economic development in order to achieve its vision. This, we will,” Minister Mnangagwa said.
Online Reporter