Zimbabwean soldiers in peacetime

Captain Cephas Muradzikwa 1 Engineer Field Squadron
They are the most misconstrued force in the land that is only seen either in their military green painted buses while others are seen mixing and mingling with civilians in various city’s transport systems. They are often seen in town early in the morning when going to work and towards sunset after knocking off duty. Though they are often seen, many have wondered what is it that they will be doing as soldiers are known to be fighters and how about when there is no war or any conflict situation. Some have even argued that, “soldiers will only go to work to sit down and relax whilst waiting for war and conflict times to come”.

On the contrast this important facet of the government system is actually involved in various tasks beneficial to both the organisation itself and the nation at large. A combination of two forces, the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) and the Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ), forms the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) which performs various tasks in its mandate which is to provide security to the territorial integrity and national interests of Zimbabwe. ZNA is the one which is tasked to defend the country by monitoring the surface areas and Air Force of Zimbabwe is the one which monitors and defends the airspace. Thus the Zimbabwe Defence Forces is a combination of these two forces and it has managed to provide a conducive environment for building the Zimbabwean economy.

In its day-to-day operations, the ZNA focuses on manpower development whereby the force focuses on training in both military and non-military courses to equip its members with relevant skills and attitude to enable them to combat the day-to-day challenges posed during both war and peace time.

The training is in different fields which include engineering, medical field, logistics and civil military relations among other things. Apart from training, the force also ensures that the state of affairs within its cantonment areas is in proper condition. One fact to note which is not clear to most people is that the ZDF has various arms found in the civilian setup which manages water lines and sewer systems and installation and maintenance of electricity systems among other things, the medical field catering for all of the health-related matters, the signallers ensuring sound communication system and military police ensuring high standards of discipline are maintained among other things, makes the ZDF to be indeed a self-reliant system with little dependence on the civilian sector but helping the society in some of its areas of need. Having all this in mind, it makes regular training a priority to make sure the ZDF personnel is in line with the new developments the world is offering.

The training highlighted above will enable the ZDF to fulfil some of its roles which are Military Assistance to Civil Authorities (MACA), Military Assistance to Civil Community (MACC) and Military Assistance to Civil Ministries (MACM).

In military assistance to civil authorities, the organisation focuses on assisting the Ministry of Home Affairs and other government arms in charge of security in containing conflict situations whereby a fallout in relations has reached alarming levels and there is now imminent threat to the national security. Activities of looting, violent demonstrations and insurgency where the police can no longer contain the situation will call for military assistance to help the police contain the angry mob.

In military assistance to civil ministries, the organisation seconds its professionals to ministries like Health and Child Care, local government, housing and urban development and even to local authorities like city councils.

For example The Army assisted ministries like Ministry of Health and Child Care during epidemics, Ministry of Education Arts and Culture during stayaways, Ministry of Local Government, Housing and Urban Development in Operation Garikayi/ Hlalani Kuhle and during seasonal flooding in low lying areas of the country. Even local authorities like the City of Harare have had army mechanics seconded to resuscitate its refuse collection fleet of vehicles.

During the Military Assistance to Civil Community (MACC), the organisation identifies less privileged communities which are in dire need of help and they help these communities in whichever way possible. Since its formation in 1980, the ZDF has managed to do various projects beneficial to the community and the members too. The ZDF through 1Infantry Brigade Engineer Squadron in Matabeleland Region has managed to do various community assistance projects which include Usher Institute High School in Matabeleland South, Landa John Nkomo High School in Mat North, Esiphikeni Secondary School in Mat North and Sengezani River Bridge again in Mat North among other projects and various projects which are being carried out countrywide by other formations. Currently 1 Infantry Brigade, is constructing the first classroom block at Goba Primary School, painting at Thekwane High School and has plans to carry out more community assistance projects in line with the government’s blueprint, the Zim-Asset and in particular the Infrastructure and Utilities cluster which is meant to empower Zimbabwean citizens. The force also carries out medical outreach programmes mainly during its Defence Forces week which is usually the first week of August and it is a full week in which the force’s medical team goes out to different health centres and offers services for free. An example of this medical outreach programme is the one which was carried out by medical staff from 1 Field Ambulance Company at Filabusi District Hospital during the United Nations Peace Support Operation Exercise conducted by 1 Infantry Brigade in the year 2014.

Apart from assisting less privileged communities, the organisation also assist the community in times of disasters. In this way, the ZDF focuses on assisting the sector responsible for disaster management by sending its personnel to beef up the strength of that sector in cases of need. Disasters like floods have seen members of the ZDF being tasked to go and help communities hit by floods especially in the low lying and flat areas like Muzarabani, parts of Tsholotsho and parts of Masvingo in particular areas covered by the Tokwe-Mukosi River basins with the latter being the most recent major flooding disaster in the 2012-2013 season. With areas like Muzarabani being hit by floods almost annually, the ZDF is always on alert and will be in liason with the National Disaster Reaction Force to ensure Zimbabwean citizens and even those outside Zimbabwe are saved from the threats of these disasters.

Thus every unit reports and acts on cases of disaster within its tactical area of responsibility to Army Headquarters and the ZDF Headquarters too, for example Headquarters 1 Infantry Brigade reports and act on disasters in the Matabeleland Provinces with the Tsholotsho floods in the year 2012-2013 season being the recent ones where the force was called into action. In these disaster relief programmes, high levels of co-ordination and co-operation is required to make sure life is saved and also that’s when civil-military co-operation is seen. In cases of major floods which are life threatening even to the life saver himself, the AFZ using its helicopters plays a major role to airlift the flood victims to safety.

Commander ZNA and Commander AFZ assist the community through their programmes, the Commander ZNA charities and the Commander AFZ charities which are meant to help the less privileged communities.

Apart from assisting the community in terms of material gains, the force is also at the forefront of the land reclamation process in landmine affected areas like Crooks Corner to Sango Border Post in the Chiredzi Lowveld area, Victoria Falls to Mlibizi in Matebelaland North, Burma Valley in Mutare, Lusulu in Matabeleland North and Mukumbura Border Post in Mashonaland Central among other areas.

These areas were mined by the Rhodesian forces as restrictive measures meant to destroy the will to fight for liberation by freedom fighters and to date they are a menace to the communities due to their non-selective nature, they are killing both human beings and animals and they are also rendering that land unfit for any use.

To date the force has managed to clear the Victoria Falls to Mlibizi stretch, parts of the Crooks Corner to Sango Border Post minefield and they are currently working on the other part of the Sango Boarder Post and Mukumbura minefields with the aim of clearing every minefield in Zimbabwe.

Part of those areas cleared have since seen families being resettled and also animals freely moving which is a positive development towards building the economy and improving the affairs of the Zimbabwean citizens.

Apart from assisting the community, the force also caters for the welfare of its members by constructing houses to alleviate shortage of accommodation and projects like Dzivarasekwa Housing Project where the force constructed houses for its members which have been commended even by local communities. The force also managed to establish a housing scheme known as the Zimbabwe Defence Forces Benefit Fund (ZDFBF) where members contribute on a monthly basis and they will have an opportunity to have a house in their name.

To date, the facility has seen quite a number of members benefiting from housing projects in various cities and the Cowdray Park Zimbabwe Defence Forces Benefit Fund project in Bulawayo, Runyararo and Victoria Range projects in Masvingo, Simbi Park in Redcliff, Mutoko Housing Project, etc have been classic examples of the ZDF’s commitment towards empowering its members.

Like the great strategist, Chinese Chairman Mao’s fish and water concept which says soldiers in the community are like fish in water, so is the ZDF and having demystified all the wrong prospects the general populace had on the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, it should be borne in mind that the Zimbabwe Defence Forces always work for the benefit of the citizens of Zimbabwe and apart from war and any other conflicting situations, it also dwells on improving the welfare of its members and the nation at large. So whichever trade one specialises in, it is there in the ZDF and you are warmly welcome.