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Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has said cyber and social media threats as well as terrorism must remain on the radar of security establishments as these have far reaching direct and indirect consequences to the country’s well-being.

In his address after commissioning 138 cadets including 34 females during the Parade of Regular Officer Cadet Course 3/37/19 at the ZMA in Gweru yesterday, the President said the training architecture within the Zimbabwe Military Academy (ZMA) must be agile and accordingly evolve to combat such threats that compromise regional stability.

On Thursday, the Sadc Double Troika meeting held in the Mozambican capital, Maputo, reaffirmed its commitment to fighting terrorism in the region, pledging solidarity with Mozambique in its efforts to combat insurgency in pursuit of peace.

The meeting also resolved to convene an extraordinary summit by June 20 to discuss the evolving security situation in the region.

President Mnangagwa joined five other regional leaders during the high-level indaba which was called to marshal a robust regional response to the growing threats of violent insurgency afflicting northern Mozambique.

President Mnangagwa yesterday said there is need for the country’s security establishments to guard against threats that derail socio-economic growth programmes.

He said Government has refocused and sharpened the national development strategy, building from the successes of the Transitional Stabilisation Programme.

President Mnangagwa said technology is also an important ingredient for a knowledge-driven economy as envisioned in the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS-1).

“My Government is determined to grow all sectors of the economy so that opportunities are created to propel the success of those who are prepared to undertake hard honest work for the prosperity of our great nation.

“Sadly, however, cyber and social media threats, cross border crime and terrorism are before us. These have far reaching direct and indirect consequences to our internal peace, security, economic well-being and national interest and must remain on the radar of the security establishments.

“In view of the new realities, the training architecture within Zimbabwe Military Academy must be agile and accordingly evolve,” said President Mnangagwa.

He urged the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) to harness their diverse technology skills and competencies to innovate and develop products for use in the civilian sphere, adding that as military, they are capable of filling some of the technological, knowledge and skills gaps in various sectors of the economy.

Equally, the President said, the need for continuous improvement on the part of the Regular Officer Cadet Course graduates, both militarily and academically cannot be overemphasised.

“No one can tell what the future holds for us. However, it is my expectation that officers, men and women of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces remain capable and skillful guarantors of our sovereignty, territorial integrity, national peace, security and interests. These are essential prerequisites for development,” he said.

President Mnangagwa said the commissioning parade is coming on the backdrop of the recent commemoration of Africa Day where Zimbabwe joined other African States in celebrating the unity of the continent and reflected on the common aspirations to build the Africa everyone wants.

“It was opportune that on the same day, May 25, we witnessed the unveiling of the towering Mbuya Nehanda’s Statue and Monument in Harare’s Central Business District. The immortalisation of the iconic liberation heroine must serve as a reminder to you, our officers, of the importance of unflinching patriotism, loyalty and fortitude in defence of our beloved country, no matter the odds,” he said.

The President said the resilience must further inspire the officers to work harder with dedication for the prosperity of the beautiful Zimbabwe.

“As the officers within the broader Sadc and African military landscape, I urge you to also be alive to the importance of regional integration and African unity. Unity is indeed our DNA, as Africans and a critical ingredient in the ongoing quest to achieve sustainable peace, security and development, not only for our countrymen but the people of Africa as a whole,” said President Mnangagwa.

He said the fact that 205 cadets enrolled for the Regular Officer Cadet Course Number 3/37/19 and yet 138 successfully completed demonstrates the complexity and rigorous nature of the course.

“I thus applaud you for successfully completing the 21 months’ course, which commenced on 4 September 2019. We are proud of you. I specifically commend the 34 female cadets graduating today.

“Since you all started the course, the national, regional and international landscape is changing with accelerating speed. This presents opportunity as well as new dangers and threats. You are therefore graduating into a world where many of the old ways of doing business don’t hold up, more so in the aftermath of the painful and ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic,” said President Mnangagwa.

The officers also graduated with a Diploma in Military Training and Education, affiliated to the Midlands State University (MSU) which runs together with the Regular Officers Cadet Course.