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(SSR); violence and military involvement in politics.
This writer did a critical analysis of the topical issues on how they were presented and felt the media was being emotive or creating a platform for raising public emotions based on the basis of an uninformed position.
It is this writer’s view that these three topical issues must be understood in their proper context and perspective.
According to international law and to the African Union protocol on peace and security, security sector reform is a process carried out as a post-conflict measure to facilitate or enhance security institutions to be more effective and efficient, resulting in them becoming highly professional patriots and loyal to the State.
In most of the security institutions in the world including America, Britain, SA and Nigeria, security institution officials are required to do a degree course with National Defence Universities (NDU).
It is rare for military generals in Africa, Asia, America, Europe etc, to acquire the generalship without having gone through NDU. Apparently, the countries mentioned above have NDUs, most of which are run by ex-servicemen and serving generals.
At NDU, the SI officials are taught international law; law of the armed conflict; geo-politics; war and politics; security and politics; international relations, politics and governance; national security strategy; analysis of security threats against nation states; strategic management; foreign policy and sovereignty.
In America, the generals are involved in structuring foreign policy which then governs their political systems.
It is surprising how SSR is viewed in Zimbabwe and reported out of context.
The media and politicians seem to target personalities rather than institutions.
The core for SSR seems to target removal of certain individuals from the security institutions.
It does not look at other factors involved in the reform like better equipment and conditions of service. What a surprising missing link!
This writer feels that the security sector (SS) is composed of institutions and ministries that attend the National Security Council (NSC).
Some of the personalities on NSC need to understand that the security of the country lies in the security institutions. If some of them violate the constitution and commit acts of sabotage against Zimbabwe, the service chiefs are obliged by law to expose them.
Zimbabwe went through SSR in the period of 1980-85. This was after the conflict brought in by the colonisation in 1890 and the Unilateral Declaration of Independence in 1965 by the Smith regime that resulted in war of liberation.
This writer strongly agrees that the SSR should only be done as an after-conflict process. Zimbabwe is not a failed state, and neither is there any disregard of rule of law.
The security institutions including the judiciary system has been and is still functioning effectively as witnessed by many cases tried at the courts.
SSR must not be done to weaken the security institutions so that the country can easily be subverted. Africa had weak security institutions during the slave trade and the Berlin Conference of 1884-85.
It is hoped that this is not what MDC-T is agitating for.
It must be made clear that the security sector is the insurance of any nation’s peace and security.
Thus, no nation or organisation should call for its reform in order to weaken security institutions.
The other topical issue raised was violence.
It is surprising how MDC-T claims that all the violence that happens at their meetings and rallies is caused by Zanu-PF. The question to ask is “how badly infiltrated is MDC-T by Zanu-PF?”
If Zanu-PF has infiltrated them to that extent, do they think they need to continue existing as a “party of excellence”?
The recent clashes between MDC-T and civic organisations in South Africa are a clear testimony that MDC-T and its partners are a violent lot.
It is also surprising how these merchants of democracy, human rights and rule of law talk about Gukurahundi activities without any mention of what the dissidents did.
During the period of Gukurahundi, many people in Silobela, rural Matabeleland and parts of Mashonaland West were killed by dissidents.
International tourists, white farmers in the Midlands were kidnapped and maimed by dissidents.
Acts of rape and torture were perpetrated by dissidents but these merchants of hope, democracy, rule of law and human rights only cite Gukurahundi and are silent about the wanton behaviour of dissidents.
The atrocities that were carried out by Minister (name supplied) during his heydays with the Rhodesian forces are also not mentioned by MDC-T.
The last topical issue was the military involvement in politics. I have already stated that senior military personnel study politics at NDUs.
The study of the various subjects including politics helps them to critically assess the security threat and how to control that threat. It also helps them to jealously protect the Constitution, national vision, sovereignty and matters of strategic national interests.
People must understand that security institutions are there for the nation and are guided by the Constitution and national interest in order for them to do their duties.
An example of politics at play is when the British General, head of the British contingent in Libya said “Our defence posture at home has to change if the budget spending in the Libyan war is increased”.
If the MDC formations cease to bring in foreign spies into the country like they did with “Heatly” they should find our security institutions as sumptuous as a meal.
It is an open secret that securocrats in both America and Britain are involved in the world political dispensations.
Using their military strategic skills, they have caused political disorder in the world through Usaid and Ford Foundation. This is where they speak politics and spy for their countries.
You cannot train a doctor on how to treat various diseases and then ask him to only treat patients but not talk about diseases. The generals are taught politics and war, geo-politics, politics and governance. Thus, they know what is good and bad for their national security systems.
After all, there is a thin line between politics and war.
I therefore urge all opposition political parties and politicians to respect the Zimbabwean Constitution, its sovereignty and issues of strategic national interests.
Once that is done, they will not see any need for SSR in Zimbabwe. Behold Zimbabwe; behold Africa!
Panganai Kahuni is a social and political commentator. He is also well-known for giving public lectures at universities and colleges on “The causes of poor governance and conflicts in post-independent Africa.” He can be contacted on [email protected]