Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) Commander Lieutenant-General Asher Walter Tapfumaneyi has said the military should not involve itself in politics, including the ongoing constitutional amendment process, and must instead wait to implement the outcome of political decisions.
Speaking at the handover of command at Headquarters Mechanised Brigade in Inkomo on Wednesday, 17 June, Lt Gen Tapfumaneyi said no country’s military is involved in drafting constitutions, as armies are subject to civilian authority. The army’s role, he said, is to maintain peace.
Brigadier-General Stanford Kufa took over command of the brigade from Brigadier-General Raban Nikisi, who is due to study in Nigeria.
“In instances, as we have now, where the Constitution is being written or amended, we can’t be involved in dissecting and coming to the conclusion that the power of the military has been usurped or that powers have been whittled. What power?” he asked.
“Are we even authors of the powers that we purport to have? Who among you wrote the Constitution? Did you (Brig Gen) Nikisi and (Brig Gen) Kufa write the Constitution? So, as it is being written now, why should you be involved?”
Lt Gen Tapfumaneyi said the army takes its orders from the civilian authority.
“We get our instructions as the army from the leadership of the country and execute them to perfection,” he said.
“There is no country under the sun, whether you want to call it a democracy or dictatorship, where the army took part in writing the Constitution.”
He said no army in the world has a duty to “correct” a government or remove one it considers underperforming.
The army is subordinate to civilian authority and should not dabble in politics, the ZNA commander said.
Zimbabwe is currently amending its Constitution through Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3.
More: The Herald
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