Harare (New Ziana) -The priority and principal vision of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces is to transform through modernisation in training and manpower development, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said on Tuesday.
He said this while addressing thousands of people who gathered at the National Sports Stadium to commemorate the 43rd anniversary of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces Day.
“Over the years, the Defence Forces have progressively transformed into a dependable, agile, hard-hitting force, capable of containing any threat. This has been realised through robust, relevant and responsive training as well as personnel development programmes.
“I, therefore, applaud you, the officers, men and women of our Zimbabwe Defence Forces for your high levels of professionalism, discipline, diligence and defence capabilities which have made these characteristics synonymous with our country’s military,” he said.
President Mnangagwa hailed the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) for its discipline and being a “people’s” force since its formation in 1980.
He said it was commendable to celebrate yet another year of excellence by the ZDF in executing its mandate of safeguarding the country’s independence, national sovereignty, territorial integrity, national interests as well as rich liberation and cultural heritage.
“Since its creation, the ZDF has always been a “People’s Force” which has effectively defended our beloved country and has guaranteed our nationhood in the face of adversity and aggression from detractors,” he said.
President Mnangagwa, who is also the Commander-In-Chief of the ZDF, applauded the military for maintaining sound and coordinated working relations with other security agencies and the civilian society.
He added that the force remains a vital cog in the ongoing national socio-economic modernisation and development of Zimbabwe, noting that the Zimbabwe National Defence University which champions this cause was now open to civilians.
“In line with the Heritage Based Education 5.0 model, the Zimbabwe National Defence University is being capacitated to play its part he in championing the industrialisation and modernisation of Zimbabwe.
“The Zimbabwe National Defence University has now opened its doors to civilian students. The faculties and disciplines offered by the University have equally been broadened, in line with current skills gaps and priorities, with a bias towards Engineering and Aviation Programmes,” he said.
President Mnangagwa applauded the governments of the People’s Republic of China, the Russian Federation, India, Pakistan, Indonesia and Malaysia for enriching partnerships regarding the training needs of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.
“Our country is grateful for this cooperation and stands ready to play its part towards advancing global peace and security. In that context, a total of 36 ZDF officers are deployed to United Nations missions, while others are deployed under the auspices of the African Union.
“As a member of the African Union Peace and Security Council, Zimbabwe is also contributing to ongoing initiatives in search of lasting solutions to instability, threats of terrorism and violent extremism on our African Continent, in the spirit of “African solutions to African problems,” said President Mnangagwa.
He congratulated the ZDF for ensuring geographical and gender equity in its recruitment policy and the high quality of education being availed at ZDF schools for facilitating both male and female children to have equal opportunities in line with their talents, dreams and potential.
The President condemned the aggression of western countries and said principles of the United Nations Charter should be adhered to.
“Our country condemns wanton Western aggression and opposes the use of sanctions as a foreign policy tool under the notion “might is right”. We continue to call for a global system based on the principles of the United Nations Charter and equality of nations under a multi-polar global system,” he said.
On the welfare of ZDF members, He said a broad array of monetary and non-monetary incentives have been extended to them and additionally, their transport needs are being attended to following the ongoing procurement of an assortment of vehicles, including over 200 buses.
“To improve accommodation facilities for ZDF personnel, Government is implementing various projects such as the Dzivarasekwa and Khumalo Housing Projects. Other housing units are being constructed at Imbizo and Jason Ziyaphapha Moyo Air Force Base.
“To date, the Dzivarasekwa Housing Project has 201 completed housing units and others at different stages of completion. The Imbizo Institutional Housing Project has 44 units at different stages of completion and an additional 30 units scheduled to be completed by year end. To accelerate the completion of targeted units, my Government has contracted Private Companies to construct a total of 260 blocks of flats,” he said.
He added that the health needs of members of the ZDF remain a priority and the completion of the Manyame Referral Hospital is being accelerated in quest to ensure that specialist medical services are available.
This year’s theme, “Zimbabwe Defence Forces: Creating a Conducive Environment for the Achievement of Vision 2030” is in recognition of the importance of a peaceful and tranquil environment for sustainable development.
New Ziana
