VICE-PRESIDENT Constantino Chiwenga, who doubles as Defence
and War Veterans Affairs minister, last week extended soldiers’ retirement age
from 65 to 70 years and classified them as “specialist military personnel” as
the country glides towards a military State.
Chiwenga announced the changes in a Government Gazette, but
analysts said the move was part of Zanu PF’s grand strategy to increase its
stranglehold on power by retaining the war veteran element in the army and
other key government departments.
“It is hereby notified that the Minister of Defence and War
Veterans Affairs in terms of Section 113 (2)(a) of the Defence Act Chapter
11:02 and after consultation with the Defence Forces Services Commission has
made the following regulations: The regulations maybe cited as the (Defence
Forces Regular Force) Specialist Members Amendment Regulations 2018 (No2).
“Section 2 of the Defence (Regular Force) (Specialist
Members) Regulations, 1979 published in Rhodesia Government Notice 92 of 1979
(hereinafter called the principal regulations is amended by the deletion of the
definition of specialist member and the substitution of ‘specialist member’
means a member of the Defence Force who holds a professional or other
qualification the commander may deem to be necessary,” the notice read.
Under the new regulations, soldiers can now continue to
serve in the force for up to 70 years at the whim of the President.
“The principal regulations are amended by the insertion of
a new section after section 4 as follows — a member who is a specialist and has
continued to serve shall retire on attaining the age of 60 years. Provided that
if the President considers, that it is desirable in the public interest he or
she may allow that the member who is a specialist continue to serve for another
five years until he or she attains the age of 70 years,” the notice added.
This came as British Labour parliamentarian Kate Hoey
singled out Chiwenga as the brains behind last week’s fatal shooting of seven
suspected MDC Alliance protestors in Harare.
In a no-holds-barred tweet, Hoey called on the British
government, European Union and United States not to soften their hard-line
stance on Harare until President Emmerson Mnangagwa has fired his deputy and
loosens his grip on the military.
“There should be no change to EU, UK or American government
policies to Zimbabwe government until at the very minimum Chiwenga is removed
from his Vice-Presidency and his control of the military,” she said.
The shooting incident has received global condemnation, with
some European diplomats in Harare calling on the government to rein in
soldiers.
Contacted for comment over the UK legislator’s remarks,
acting Information minister, Simon Khaya Moyo said: “I do not comment on social
media issues. If that is the official position of the British government, let
them write to us and we will comment. So we will not comment on that issue.”
Political analyst Eldred Masunungure said the extension of
soldiers’ retirement age was a strategic attempt to retain the war veteran element
in the army whose members might be approaching retirement age.
“This is an attempt to retain for as long as possible the
war veteran element in the army. Vice-President Chiwenga and other war veterans
have no confidence in non-war veterans and they regard the war veterans as
having a high-level of security consciousness. They are said to have liberation
war values and are able to sacrifice their lives to retain those liberation war
values,” Masunungure said.
Another political analyst Sithembile Mpofu said in a
transitional time for the military, Zanu PF as well as the country, it was
important to have trusted cadres with the necessary experience, who are also
able to maintain political stability.
“At the moment, this is a transitional time for the
military, Zanu PF and the country. They intend to try and keep things as stable
as possible by ensuring that trusted cadres are in position,” she said.
Chiwenga was elevated to the position of VP in the aftermath
of former President Robert Mugabe’s ouster following a military intervention
last November.
Mugabe was forced out after the military, then under
Chiwenga’s command, stormed key State institutions, placed the then Zanu PF
leader under house arrest before he threw in the towel, paving the way for
Mnangagwa to take over as other senior military figures took over control of
various ministries and government departments.
Chiwenga early this year shocked the country after he
unilaterally fired all striking nurses at public hospitals who had downed tools
demanding a salary review.
Germany ambassador to Zimbabwe Thorsten Hutter on Monday
told Foreign Affairs minister Sibusiso Moyo that his country was concerned over
the use of lethal force during last Wednesday’s protests.
“The events of the recent days may be seen as a setback to
that reform process and Germany encourages the government to see to it that
this will not be so. That will include from our perspective and I am sure
others will share this view to see to it that there will be calm in the
country, that there will be political dialogue between the parties so that the
country returns to normalcy as soon as possible,” he said.
In another setback, the EU and the US government issued a
joint statement expressing concern over the clampdown on opposition members and
the involvement of the army.
“The heads of mission condemn the violent attacks and acts
of intimidation targeted at opposition leaders and supporters. These human
rights violations have no place in a democratic society and contravene the
fundamental tenets of international human rights standards,” the statement
read.
The Australian government also joined in condemning
Mnangagwa government’s use of brute force on protesters.
“Australia notes the strong desire of the people of
Zimbabwe to move their country forward, as seen by their enthusiastic and
largely peaceful participation in the historic elections. In this context, it
was all the more tragic to see violence and unruly behaviour and excessive use
of force by security forces on August 1. Reports of further violence and human
rights violations are also deeply concerning,” the Austrian government wrote.
Newsday
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