Maravi

(SUNDAY MAIL ZW) Army blasts foreign sponsored parties

Army blasts foreign sponsored parties
Saturday, 20 October 2012 23:43
Sunday Mail Reporter

Western-sponsored political parties are posing serious threats to the coun­try’s peace and national security, a senior army officer has warned.

Speaking at the Zimbabwe National Army’s Pay and Records 32nd anniversary celebrations in Harare recently, the ZNA’s Chief of Staff and Quarter­master, Major-General Douglas Nyikayaramba, said Zimbabwe’s national security is under threat owing to Western ideologies being peddled by some political parties.Major-General Nyikayaramba noted that the interests of these politi­cal par­ties are against Zimbabwe’s sover­eignty.

“The conflicting interests may be political, economic, strategic and ide­ological. A typical example is the cur­rent threat we have in Zimbabwe where the Western-sponsored opposi­tion parties pose serious sharp and ideological threats,” he said, pointing out that the resilience of a country’s defence forces can be compromised by what he termed ideological diffusion.

“It is futile for a government to pre­pare and maintain a military force for physical defence only, but only to find the state structure collapsing from within because of subversion or eco­nomic failure or an ideological explo­sion.”

Turning to operational matters, Major-General Nyikayaramba said the ZNA is working hard to address its current challenges that include short­age of human and material resources.

“I am aware of the manpower short­ages and it is an unavoidable situation. The army, just like any other organisa­tion, is subject to manpower short­age due to retirements and deaths.

“In this regard, ZAPAR (the army division which is responsible for recruitment) was authorised to recruit 30 members from formations and this trend is going to continue into the suc­ceeding years.

“As for material resources, senior management continues to be seized with this, but the major setback is the unavailability of funds to purchase the required equipment,” he added.

Major-General Nyikayaramba high­lighted that the unavailability of funds has been compounded by an arms embargo, which is part of the illegal sanctions imposed on the country by Europe and the United States.

“This is a phenomenon which is compounded by the mechanisation of the Western-backed elements in Gov­ernment whose intention is to restrict the release of funds to Government institutions that they perceive to coun­teract their quest to effect illegal regime change, all this being to goad such institutions to change their atti­tudes against the Government.”

The Zimbabwe National Army’s Pay and Records Anniversary is held annually to review the army’s opera­tions as well as to address sticking issues on the remuneration of mem­bers of the defence forces.
The celebrations were characterised by sporting events and displays by members of the army.

Labels: ARMED FORCES, MDC, MDC TREASON

posted by MrK @ 5:53 AM