Soldiers and the State in Zimbabwe by Godfrey Maringira

Author:Godfrey Maringira [Maringira, Godfrey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Ethnic Studies, Technology & Engineering, African Studies, African, Military, Social Science, Political Science, World, History, Military Science, General
ISBN: 9781351022323
Google: 5GumDwAAQBAJ
Goodreads: 46163487
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2019-05-30T13:55:55+00:00

These sentiments were more political than being military, as the speech targeted the opposition political leader. But whether army generals’ threats to the MDC were a result of the internal dynamics in Zimbabwe or external influences remains a moot question. In his response to Zimbabwe army generals’ political statements, Tendi (2013) presents an illuminating argument. He argues that such political statements by Zimbabwe army generals are a response to external political influence and involvement of Western countries and the US in Zimbabwean politics since the year 2000 (Tendi, 2013). The generals’ political statements were made in response to Western media reportage and representations of President Robert Mugabe, who was universally portrayed as intolerant. From 2000, the EU and the US governments had imposed sanctions on President Robert Mugabe and his cronies in ZANU-PF, including some notable senior military officers. Moreover, the British Military Assistance and Training Team (BMATT) were withdrawn by Britain and efforts to professionalise the ZNA were abandoned. All these issues reportedly angered the generals and fed into their consequent harsh responses to opposition politics in Zimbabwe (see Tendi, 2013).

While these arguments seem correct, I also argue that internal dynamics in the Zimbabwe military adds to our understanding as to why the generals behaved the way they did, constantly debasing the MDC. From the former soldiers’ stories, like that of Sierra Romeo, ‘generals and other war veterans in the army were fighting for their own career benefits like promotion’. Tango Alpha notes that ‘it was well-known that from the rank of Lt Colonel to the General, they are political ranks’. Thus, the majority of Generals who openly threatened the late Morgan Tsvangirai (MDC opposition political party leader) were promoted. For example, Major General Nyikayaramba, the then-brigadier general and commander of 3 Brigade, made inflammatory statements and was within months promoted to the rank of major general and transferred to Army headquarters in Harare. Apparently, public threats to the opposition political party were a resource for promotion in the army. Similarly, in 2008, Major General Chedondo ordered soldiers to vote for ZANU-PF. In his speech at a parade he publicly said:

We cannot be seen supporting a political party that is going against the ideals of a nation. ZANU-PF came by as a result of a liberation struggle, which saw many of the country’s sons and daughters losing their lives. As soldiers we must support ideologies that we subscribe to, I for one will not be apologetic for supporting ZANU [PF] because I was part of the liberation struggle.

(Zimbabwe Daily)

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