Story by Peter Chivhima
THE new Commander of the Zimbabwe National Army, Lieutenant General Emmanuel Matatu, has officially assumed his duties, urging the ZNA family not to be misled by social media.
A handover-takeover parade for the Zimbabwe National Army command was held at Charles Gumbo Barracks this Friday, where outgoing Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) Commander, Lieutenant General (Retired) Anselem Sanyatwe implored the incoming Commander and ZNA officers to continue lifting the country’s flag high, while the new commander, Lieutenant General Matatu pledged loyalty guided by the country’s constitution.
“While my time as the ZNA Commander has come to an end, the mission will certainly continue. The responsibility to protect and serve Zimbabwe does not end with a change in leadership or a change in command. Accordingly, I implore you to carry the torch forward and I have no doubt that the next chapter, which now begins with the incoming of my brother, Lieutenant General Emmanuel Matatu, will be filled with even greater accomplishments, continue to raise our flag, national flag, very high to even greater heights,” Lieutenant General (Retired) Sanyatwe said.
“My leadership will be guided by the values that we all share, and these are loyalty, dedication to duty and respect. In everything that we do, let us be guided by our mandate, as prescribed in the Constitution of Zimbabwe, Section 212, and the provisions in the Defence Act Chapter 1102,” Lieutenant General Matatu stated.
“As we embark on this new chapter together, I want you all to know that communication channels, to me, will always be open. I will encourage you to share your thoughts, ideas and concerns using formal channels. Let us avoid using unofficial channels in other media, as this often mislead us.”
Chief witnessing officer and Commander Zimbabwe Defence Forces General Phillip Valerio Sibanda highlighted the importance of interactions between the ZDF and communities.
“I therefore call upon you, the incoming commander of the Zimbabwe National Army, to pay particular attention to principal leadership that is responsive to the dictates of the current operating environment and to be highly vigilant and professional. I implore you to provide quality leadership to the communities that you will be interacting with during your tenure of office. I refer you to the critical role you play as the security focal point throughout our country,” he said.
“I also want to draw your attention to the current crop of soldiers, whose energy and dynamism require adaptable, stout, and family-oriented leadership to positively tap into their energy and zeal. This therefore calls for your regular interaction with them and their immediate commanders through continuous training, seminars, and competitive sports, among other activities.”
Lieutenant General (Retired) Sanyatwe is now the Minister of Sports, Recreation, Arts, and Culture.
The colourful ceremony was attended by Service Chiefs, ZDF officers, the Matatu and Sanyatwe families as well as the business community.
