Zimbabwe Defence Force

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is an integrated organisation. It is a merger between the Zimbabwe Defence Forces Headquarters (ZDF HQ) and a compliment of civil service personnel. The ZDF HQ element is a combination of senior Army and Air Force officers and supporting staff. Prior to the establishment of the integrated Ministry of Defence in 1994, the MOD was wholly manned by Public Service Commission civilian staff complemented by a small number of military liaison personnel.

The Minister of Defence heads the integrated MOD together with its ZDF HQ in conformity with international norms and practices of subordination of the military to civilian in democratic dispensations.

The Minister of Defence is the political head of the Ministry. Below him, is the Permanent Secretary and three Directors namely: the Director Policy, Public Relations and International Affairs, the Director Procurement, Research and Administration and the Director Finance. Below the directors are deputy directors, other civilian officers and employees.

• To ensure implementation of the Zimbabwe government policy on defence issues.
• To formulate the national defence strategy
• To ensure efficient and economic utilisation of resources provided by the government for the maintenance of the ZDF.
• To be responsible and accountable for the effective command and control of the ZDF.

The Minister of Defence is the political head of the ministry who gives political direction and represents the ministry in parliament. He chairs the defence policy council and is responsible for approving the defence command council resolutions and strategy, military doctrine and other policies and major equipment purchases. The minister advises Government on defence issues, formulates the overall strategy, reviews the defence policy in line with national defence council guidelines. He also coordinates bilateral and multilateral activities at regional and international levels. The incumbent minister of defence is Honourable Cde Sydney Tigere Sekeramayi (MP).

The Permanent Secretary is the Principal Accounting Officer of the MOD. He is responsible for the proper use and accounting of all funds allocated to Defence in accordance with Treasury Instructions and Government Accounting Regulations, proper administration of civilian personnel as well as advising the Minister on administration and Defence Policy issues. Mr Martin Rushwaya is the current Secretary for Defence.

The Department of Policy, Public Relations and International Affairs, with respect to policy matters, analyses, formulates and reviews the country's Defence Policy taking into consideration security related developments at the domestic, regional, continental and global levels. The Department provides the Secretary for the Defence Policy Council chaired by the Minister of Defence. The Department also manages the process of writing draft speeches for the Permanent Secretary for Defence, the Minister of Defence and His Excellency he President. On Public Relations, the Department is responsible for the implementing and reviewing of the Defence Public Relations Policy as well as cultivating sound civil-military relations. In the same vein, the Department directs preparations for commemoration of the International Day for United Nations Peacekeepers, staging of the Defence Forces Day celebrations as well as exhibiting at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair and the Harare Agricultural Show. On regional and international matters, the Department directs and co­ordinates Defence bilateral Joint Permanent Commissions. It also prepares briefs and position papers on SADC Inter-state Defence and Security Committee meetings. Furthermore, the Department prepares briefs pertaining to the signing and ratification of Protocols/Conventions and Treaties like the 1999 Ottawa Convention on the Prohibition of use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty to mention but a few.

The Department of Finance and Human Resources deals with proper and efficient accounting of funds to the Ministry in the national budget. It responds to all queries regarding the use of funds to the Comptroller and Auditor General and the Parliamentary Public Accounts of Finance of all the Ministry's Public Sector Investment Project (PSIP) programmes. It also handles human resources issues for the civilian staff of the Ministry in liaison with the Public Service Commission. Mr Denson Muvandi is the Director Finance.

The Department of Procurement Research and Administration is responsible for timeous procurement of goods and services required for the efficient functioning of the Defence Forces. In this respect, the Department negotiates and approves all supply contracts of the Defence Forces, scrutinizes tender evaluations and makes recommendations to the State Procurement Board as well as handling complaints from clients. The Department also monitors the Procurement Departments of the ZNA and the AFZ-to ensure that tender procedures are properly followed and that all purchases are done in accordance with the Procurement Act and Regulations. Mr Peter Muchakazi is the Dir Procurement, Research and Administration. With respect to research, the Department is charged with the responsibility of exploring ways of effecting import substitution in collaboration with local industries. The Department is also responsible for the administration of the Ministry's assets.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) is responsible for maintaining law and order. Although the ZRP officially is under the authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs, in practice it is controlled by the President's office. The Zimbabwe National Army and Air Force under the Defense Ministry are responsible for external security; however, they frequently were called upon for domestic operations during the year. The Central Intelligence Organization (CIO), under the Minister of State for National Security in the President's Office, is responsible for internal and external security, but it does not have powers of arrest. Senior government and ruling party members tightly control the security forces. Members of the security forces committed numerous, serious human rights abuses.