‘No room for drug abuse in army’
ARMY officers abusing drugs will be instantly discharged from military service, ZNA Chief of Staff (Quartermaster Staff) Major-General Hlanganani Dube warned at the Ninth Inter-Formation and Unit Drill Competition at 5 Infantry Brigade in Kwekwe on Tuesday.
As part of their culture of high discipline, soldiers should be torch-bearers in denouncing the drug and substance abuse menace, he said.
His sentiments come at a time when the country is grappling with the drug and substance abuse menace which has already been declared a security threat by Government. A technical committee to address the scourge has since established.
President Mnangagwa set up the National Committee on Drugs and Substance Abuse, chaired by Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri.
Maj Gen Dube said discipline was a basic element of military culture which had moulded the Zimbabwe National Army to be one of the highly disciplined and professional armies within the Sadc region.
“Indiscipline will not be tolerated and those found on the wrong side of the law will be dealt with severely. On a related note, a new ingredient in the recipe of indiscipline has manifested itself, and it is drug and substance abuse,” he said.
“This nation has been hit by this grossly negative phenomenon. All should be warned that there is no place for drug and substance abuse in ZNA and the Zimbabwe Defence Forces in general. Anyone caught in this act, will be instantly discharged. Forewarned is forearmed.”
The two-week-long drill competitions, which started on 27 November, drew participants from all the 10 top-level formations and four units of the ZNA across the country.
The hosts, 5 Infantry Brigade, emerged winners of the competitions held under the theme: “Drill, inculcating discipline, obedience and loyalty towards the attainment of Vision 2030.”
Maj Gen Dube said the competitions were designed to evaluate the level of drill and measure discipline within the army, hence the participation of all ZNA formations and units.
“In its simplest forms, drill involves the coordination of the mind and body, thus unifying individual actions to come up with one execution. In that regard, a drill is very important because it improves physical fitness, progressively toughness, and conditions soldiers while improving their teamwork, confidence, uniformity and in the process their discipline,” he said. “Thus, in order to attain high standards of military proficiency, drill should be a soldier’s daily activity. Drill and discipline are inseparable.”
Discipline was the hallmark of any professional army while the drill is the cornerstone of discipline within the military.
“The two are inseparable as drill movements are an adherence to command and control which in itself is a sign of discipline. ZNA attaches great importance to drill as it instils discipline within the rank and file individually and collectively,” he said.
Maj Gen Dube hailed the participation of female members of the army.
“I am pleased by the continued participation of the Zimbabwe Women Services in these competitions. This is a clear testimony of the importance being placed on the professional development of female soldiers within the ZDF,” he said.
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