Source: Minister denies bias in military recruitment – herald
Trust Freddy
Zimpapers Correspondent
THE Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) remains a professional, non-partisan and national institution that recruits strictly on merit and regional equity, Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri has said.
Addressing the National Assembly during a Question and Answer session on Wednesday, Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri dismissed allegations that the military only recruits members from the ruling ZANU PF.
She described such claims—allegedly made at a gathering at Chief Nhema’s homestead on October 6 last year—as hearsay that does not reflect Government policy.
“Mr Speaker Sir, it is not the Government’s policy to only recruit ZANU PF members to the army,” she said. “The alleged utterances are hearsay and do not reflect the Government Army Recruitment Policy.“Mr Speaker, we could not identify the person who made the alleged utterances,” she said.
She also reaffirmed that the ZDF is a “People’s Army” whose operations are guided by the Constitution. “Nevertheless, my response is to apprise this august House of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) recruitment policy.
“The ZDF recruitment policy is guided by the Constitution of Zimbabwe underSection 211, which states that the Defence Forces must respect the fundamental rights and freedoms of all persons through being nonpartisan, national in character, patriotic, professional and subordinate to the civilian authority as established by this Constitution.
“Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri also outlined a rigorous, transparent recruitment framework designed to ensure that “no one and no community is left behind.”
“The ZDF must, as a matter of national priority, recruit from all the administrative provinces of the country in equal numbers,” she said.
“Within a given province, the provincial quota shall be spread equally among districts… This confirms Section 18 of the Constitution, which compels the State to ensure fair regional representation.
“To maintain this balance, the Minister said the Government sometimes waives certain academic qualifications in regions where applicant numbers are lower, ensuring the military remains a true reflection of the Zimbabwean population.”
She also outlined the current entry requirements, stressing that the military remains a professional institution open to all eligible citizens. Under the present criteria, general recruits must be aged between 18 and 22, possessing a minimum of five ‘O’ Levels at Grade C or better.
Physical requirements are also strictly enforced, with a minimum weight of 55kg for males and 53kg for females. For those aspiring to join as officer cadets, the bar is set at a minimum of six ‘A’ Level points, alongside five ‘O’ Levels including English and Mathematics. However, the Minister explained that the age limit is extended to 26 for candidates holding specialised qualifications such as diplomas or degrees.
While the ZDF continues to promote gender balance in line with Section 17 of the Constitution, the Minister expressed concern over the low number of young women volunteering for service.
“Regrettably, the numbers for our young girls presenting themselves to serve in the organisation are still very low despite the rigorous campaign by our teams,” she said.
She called on traditional leaders and Members of Parliament to use their influence under the Traditional Leaders Act to disseminate recruitment notices and protect the public from fraudsters.
Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri reiterated that the ZDF maintains an open and professional standard, advising any citizens with factual concerns or allegations regarding military operations to approach the Independent Enquiry Commission for management.
The post Minister denies bias in military recruitment appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.