AS Zimbabwe marks Defence Forces Day, the country must do more than salute uniforms, inspect military hardware and celebrate patriotic speeches.
It must confront a fundamental question: who are the Defence Forces meant to serve? The answer should never be in doubt — Zimbabwe, its people and the Constitution.
The Zimbabwe Defence Forces occupy a unique place in the country's history. Born out of the liberation struggle and forged through the integration of former liberation movements and the Rhodesian security forces at independence, they inherited a solemn responsibility: to defend the country's sovereignty, territorial integrity, national interests and constitutional order. That responsibility has not diminished.
If anything, the turmoil engulfing parts of the world should remind Zimbabweans that peace is neither automatic nor permanent. Countries torn apart by war show, at enormous human cost, what happens when institutions collapse, political disputes turn violent and national interests are subordinated to factional ambitions. Zimbabwe must never travel that road.
Our soldiers have served with distinction in peacekeeping missions abroad and have repeatedly responded to disasters and national emergencies at home. During Cyclone Idai, they were among those on the frontline of rescue and relief efforts in Manicaland, and they have since helped to repair infrastructure damaged by floods and responded to other emergencies. That service deserves recognition — but recognition must be matched with responsibility, on the part of both government and the military.
A professional defence force cannot operate effectively without proper equipment, training, uniform, accommodation and decent welfare. Government promise to improve the welfare of service personnel must move beyond speeches and become tangible improvements in the lives of those entrusted with defending the country. But resources alone do not make a strong military — a defence force is ultimately judged by its discipline, professionalism, competence, preparedness and respect for the law.
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This is where the Constitution matters. Zimbabwe's supreme law requires the Defence Forces to respect the fundamental rights and freedoms of all persons and to be non-partisan, national in character, patriotic, professional and subordinate to civilian authority. These are constitutional obligations. The military must remain above partisan politics — a soldier's loyalty must be to Zimbabwe and the Constitution, not to an individual, political party or faction. This principle matters most in a country whose history was scarred by a violent liberation war and years of political conflict: the guns that helped to liberate Zimbabwe must never be turned into tools for settling political disputes in an independent Zimbabwe. The Defence Forces must protect the people, not intimidate them; defend the Constitution, not personalities; and safeguard the nation, not political interests.
The changing nature of national security makes this responsibility even more important. Threats confronting Zimbabwe are no longer limited to conventional military attacks — climate change, natural disasters, organised crime, human trafficking, cyber threats and regional instability all require a defence force that keeps adapting. The military must invest in modern skills, technology, intelligence and preparedness. But modernisation must never become an excuse for avoiding scrutiny over how public resources are utilised. Defence spending is necessary; defence spending without accountability is not. The Defence Forces, like every other public institution, must operate within the law and account for the resources entrusted to them. Citizens have a legitimate right to expect money allocated to national security to be spent responsibly, transparently and effectively.
That is why Defence Forces Day should be neither an occasion for uncritical glorification nor an opportunity to disparage the legitimate role of the military. Zimbabwe needs a defence force that is capable, professional and properly equipped — and one that is disciplined, non-partisan and accountable. The men and women in uniform deserve the nation's respect for their service, but respect cannot mean immunity from scrutiny. The true test of Zimbabwe's Defence Forces is whether, in the nation's most difficult moments, the military remains faithful to the Constitution and the people it is sworn to protect.
On Defence Forces Day, Zimbabwe should salute its soldiers — and remind them and their commanders of the trust placed in their hands. Defend Zimbabwe, not political interests. Protect the Constitution, not personalities. Serve the people, not power. That is the defence force Zimbabwe should be proud to celebrate.