Story by Josephine Mugiyo, Diplomatic Correspondent
THE Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, has called on the country’s uniformed forces to embrace new and emerging technologies as fundamental instruments of modern military leadership.
He said this as he officiated at a commission parade for officer cadets at the Zimbabwe Military Academy in Gweru this Friday.
President Mnangagwa emphasised the importance of the courses the officer cadets undertook, noting that they improve their work ethics.
“The graduation of this regular officer cadet course number 3/41/24 is another injection of future military leaders, following their gruelling 21 months of training, which began in May 2024. This milestone success demonstrates the ongoing prioritisation by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces to improve leadership and operational competencies of junior officers in order to sustain a strong and capable defence force.”
President Mnangagwa said the embracing of new skills is key within the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF).
“The academy’s incorporation of lessons in the fields of information communication technology, geospatial intelligence and asymmetric warfare has adequately equipped cadets with skills in line with current needs. Officer cadets are called upon to embrace new and emerging technologies, not as optional skills but fundamental instruments of modern military leadership.”
He further reminded the graduates that military service demands prioritising duty above personal interests.
“May I remind you that military service demands that duty always come first before personal interests. The cadet training has armed you with the necessary basic tactical, administrative knowledge and skills to enable you to seamlessly integrate within the ZDF.”
The men and women took an oath of allegiance, and the Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces said they should abide by it.
Initially, 170 cadets enrolled for the course, but only 105 made it to the finishing line.
