Zimbabwe Defence Forces: Difference between revisions

Zimbabwe Defence forces
Zimbabwe Defence forces
Mauto eZimbabwe
	Flag of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces
Founded	18 May 1980; 44 years ago
Service branches	Zimbabwe National Army; Air Force of Zimbabwe
Headquarters	Harare
Leadership
President	Emmerson Mnangagwa
Minister of Defence	Oppah Muchinguri
Chief of Defense	Philip Valerio Sibanda
Personnel
Conscription	N/A
Available for; military service	5,500,000, age 15–49 (2017)
Fit for; military service	3,175,000, age 15–49 (2017)
Reaching military; age annually	310,000 (2017)
Active personnel	29,000 active; 21,800 paramilitary (ranked 83rd)
Expenditure
Budget	$1.7 billion (2022)
Percent of GDP	2.16% (2018)
Industry
Foreign suppliers	Russia; China
Related articles
History	Military history of Zimbabwe
Ranks	Military ranks of Zimbabwe

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The Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) are the military forces responsible for the defence of Zimbabwe against external threats from other countries, and also to suppress internal armed factions. It is composed of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) and the Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ). (As a landlocked country Zimbabwe does not have a navy). Since December 2017 the ZDF is headed by General Philip Valerio Sibanda.

Ministry of Defence

In July 1994 the combined Zimbabwe Defence Forces Headquarters was created.

Manpower

In 2007, the Zimbabwe National Army had an estimated strength of 29,000 and the Air Force of Zimbabwe had an estimated 4,000 men assigned.^[4]

History

After a 15-year guerrilla war with black nationalist forces, culminating in a peace agreement in December 1979, Robert Mugabe became the first Prime Minister of Zimbabwe on 11 April 1980 following his ZANU–PF party winning the general election. Mugabe declared that integrating Zimbabwe's three armed forces would be one of Zimbabwe's top priorities. The existing Rhodesian Army was combined with the two guerrilla armies; the 20,000-strong Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) forces of ZANU–PF and the 15,000-strong Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) forces of PF-Zimbabwe African People's Union. A British Military Assistance and Training Team played a pivotal role in assisting the creation of the new army, and was still in place in 2000.^[5] Meanwhile the Rhodesian Air Force was reorganised as the Air Force of Zimbabwe.

Mozambique Civil War

The Mozambique Civil War was a long-running conflict between the Marxist FRELIMO Government, and anti-communist RENAMO insurgents. During the 1970's, Rhodesian intelligence supported the rebel group, but in the years following the election of Robert Mugabe in 1980, the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) switched to support the FRELIMO Government, in order to protect Zimbabwe's eastern city of Mutare and the strategic railway line to Mozambique's port city of Beira which were being attacked by RENAMO.^[6]

Operation Restore Legacy

In October 2017, the ZDF was involved in a coup d'état which resulted in the resignation of long-serving President Robert Mugabe and the formation of a new government under Emmerson Mnangagwa.^[7]

Notes

^ ^a ^b IISS 2019, p. 500.
^ ^a ^b IISS 2019, p. 499.
^ "As the U.S. Disengages, Russia Ramps up Aid and Arms Sales to Sub-Saharan Africa".
^ The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) (2007). The Military Balance 2007. Abingdon: Routledge Journals. ISBN 978-1-85743-437-8. Page 299.
^ "UK urged to keep force in Zimbabwe". The Independent. London. 16 April 2000. Archived from the original on 2022-05-07.
^ "Zimbabwe's Military Involvement in Mozambique1982 - 1992". SACDI Defence Digest. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
^ Cropley, MacDonald Dzirutwe, Joe Brock, Ed (2017-11-27). "Special Report: 'Treacherous shenanigans' - The inside story of Mugabe's downfall". Reuters. Retrieved 2021-05-30.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

References

"Zimbabwe". The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. 4 May 2022.
International Institute for Strategic Studies (15 February 2019). The Military Balance 2019. London: Routledge. ISBN 9781857439885.
Reuters Report
Central Intelligence Organisation
https://www.enca.com/africa/full-statement-by-zim-army-on-state-broadcaster
Operation Restore Legacy

External links

Zimbabwe Ministry of Defence Archived 2006-10-04 at the Wayback Machine

[FOOTNOTEIISS2019500-1] IISS 2019, p. 500.

[FOOTNOTEIISS2019499-2] IISS 2019, p. 499.

[3] "As the U.S. Disengages, Russia Ramps up Aid and Arms Sales to Sub-Saharan Africa".

[IISS2007-4] The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) (2007). The Military Balance 2007. Abingdon: Routledge Journals. ISBN 978-1-85743-437-8. Page 299.

[5] "UK urged to keep force in Zimbabwe". The Independent. London. 16 April 2000. Archived from the original on 2022-05-07.

[6] "Zimbabwe's Military Involvement in Mozambique1982 - 1992". SACDI Defence Digest. Retrieved 17 May 2024.

[7] Cropley, MacDonald Dzirutwe, Joe Brock, Ed (2017-11-27). "Special Report: 'Treacherous shenanigans' - The inside story of Mugabe's downfall". Reuters. Retrieved 2021-05-30.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|Combined military forces of Zimbabwe}}
 {{Infobox national military
 | name               = Zimbabwe Defence forces
@@ Line 41: / Line 42: @@
 | deployed           =
 <!-- Financial -->
-| amount             = $420 million (2018){{sfn|IISS|2019|p=499}}
+| amount             = $1.7 billion (2022){{sfn|IISS|2019|p=499}}
 | percent_GDP        = 2.16% (2018){{sfn|IISS|2019|p=499}}
 <!-- Industrial -->
 | domestic_suppliers =
-| foreign_suppliers  = {{flag|Russia}}<ref>https://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/articles/24457/as-the-u-s-disengages-russia-ramps-up-aid-and-arms-sales-to-sub-saharan-africa</ref>
+| foreign_suppliers  = {{flag|Russia}}<br>{{China}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/articles/24457/as-the-u-s-disengages-russia-ramps-up-aid-and-arms-sales-to-sub-saharan-africa|title=As the U.S. Disengages, Russia Ramps up Aid and Arms Sales to Sub-Saharan Africa}}</ref>
 | imports            =
 | exports            =
@@ Line 53: / Line 54: @@
 }}
+The '''Zimbabwe Defence Forces''' ('''ZDF''') are the [[military forces]] responsible for the defence of [[Zimbabwe]] against external threats from other countries, and also to suppress internal armed factions. It is composed of the [[Zimbabwe National Army]] (ZNA) and the [[Air Force of Zimbabwe]] (AFZ). (As a [[landlocked country]] Zimbabwe does not have a navy). Since December 2017 the ZDF is headed by General [[Philip Valerio Sibanda]].
-The '''[[Zimbabwe]] Defence Forces''' ('''ZDF''') are composed of the [[Zimbabwe National Army]] (ZNA) and the [[Air Force of Zimbabwe]] (AFZ). As a [[landlocked country]], Zimbabwe has no navy. The most senior commander of the ZDF is General [[Philip Valerio Sibanda]]. At the time of independence after the [[Rhodesian Bush War]], the then Prime Minister [[Robert Mugabe]] declared that integrating [[Zimbabwe]]'s three armed forces would be one of Zimbabwe's top priorities. The existing [[Rhodesian Army]] was combined with the two guerrilla armies; the 20,000-strong [[Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army]] (ZANLA) forces of [[Zimbabwe African National Union]]-PF and the 15,000-strong [[Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army]] (ZIPRA) forces of PF-[[Zimbabwe African People's Union]]. The current manpower stands at an estimated strength of 29,000 in the Army, and an estimated 4,000 in the Air Force. Since the Rhodesian Bush War, the armed forces has been mostly involved with the suppression of non-state armed cells in a number of operations.
 ==Ministry of Defence==
@@ Line 67: / Line 68: @@
 {{main|Military history of Zimbabwe}}
-At the time of independence, the then Prime Minister [[Robert Mugabe]] declared that integrating [[Zimbabwe]]'s three armed forces would be one of Zimbabwe's top priorities. The existing [[Rhodesian Army]] was combined with the two guerrilla armies; the 20,000-strong [[Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army]] (ZANLA) forces of [[Zimbabwe African National Union]]-PF and the 15,000-strong [[Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army]] (ZIPRA) forces of PF-[[Zimbabwe African People's Union]]. A British Military Assistance and Training Team played a pivotal role in assisting the creation of the new army, and was still in place in 2000.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/uk-urged-to-keep-force-in-zimbabwe-719089.html | location=London | work=The Independent | title=UK urged to keep force in Zimbabwe | date=16 April 2000}}</ref> The [[Rhodesian Air Force]] was eventually reorganised as the [[Air Force of Zimbabwe]].
+After a 15-year [[Rhodesian Bush War|guerrilla war]] with black nationalist forces, culminating in a [[Lancaster House Agreement|peace agreement]] in December 1979, [[Robert Mugabe]] became the first Prime Minister of Zimbabwe on 11 April 1980 following his [[ZANU–PF]] party winning the [[1980 Southern Rhodesian general election|general election]]. Mugabe declared that integrating [[Zimbabwe]]'s three armed forces would be one of Zimbabwe's top priorities. The existing [[Rhodesian Army]] was combined with the two guerrilla armies; the 20,000-strong [[Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army]] (ZANLA) forces of ZANU–PF and the 15,000-strong [[Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army]] (ZIPRA) forces of PF-[[Zimbabwe African People's Union]]. A British Military Assistance and Training Team played a pivotal role in assisting the creation of the new army, and was still in place in 2000.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/uk-urged-to-keep-force-in-zimbabwe-719089.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220507/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/uk-urged-to-keep-force-in-zimbabwe-719089.html |archive-date=2022-05-07 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live | location=London | work=The Independent | title=UK urged to keep force in Zimbabwe | date=16 April 2000}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Meanwhile the [[Rhodesian Air Force]] was reorganised as the [[Air Force of Zimbabwe]].
-== Mozambique Civil War ==
+=== Mozambique Civil War ===
+{{Main|Mozambique Civil War}}
-{{Importance section|date=November 2017}}
-The [[Mozambican Civil War|Mozambique Civil War]] occurred between the [[FRELIMO]] Government and [[RENAMO]]. The rebel group was funded by [[Central Intelligence Organisation|Rhodesian intelligence]] in the 1970s and later the [[apartheid]] [[South Africa]]n government to destabilize Mozambique and Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwe Defence Forces got involved to protect Zimbabwe's eastern city of [[Mutare]] and the strategic railway line to Mozambique's port city of [[Beira, Mozambique|Beira]] which were being attacked by RENAMO. This was also seen as assistance to the FRELIMO government which had assisted Zimbabwe rebel fighters based in Mozambique during Rhodesian Bush War. Some RENAMO elements had crossed from Mozambique into Zimbabwe several times, robbing shops along the border and had burned down a timber factory. After several meetings with Mozambican officials it was agreed that the ZDF could conduct "hot pursuits" into Mozambique of any RENAMO elements that may have raided Zimbabwe. On this pretext the ZDF begun planning follow-up operations which would take them deep into Mozambique culminating in occupation of former RENAMO bases at [[Gorongosa]]. The decision to send Zimbabwean troops to fight RENAMO was partly influenced by Zimbabwe's close relationship with the Mozambican government which dates back to FRELIMO's assistance for [[Zimbabwe African National Union|ZANU]] in its fight against Rhodesia. There was also the underlying fact that FRELIMO and ZANU shared a common Marxist ideology of [[scientific socialism]]. The South Africa-backed RENAMO professed to be an [[Anti-communism|anti-communist]] movement, as did [[Jonas Savimbi]]'s [[UNITA]] movement, which was fighting against the Marxist [[MPLA]] government of Angola. There was thus an ideological alliance of the Maputo - Harare - Luanda axis, with support for these governments from the [[Soviet Union]].
+The [[Mozambican Civil War|Mozambique Civil War]] was a long-running conflict between the Marxist [[FRELIMO]] Government, and anti-communist [[RENAMO]] insurgents. During the 1970's, [[Central Intelligence Organisation|Rhodesian intelligence]] supported the rebel group, but in the years following the election of Robert Mugabe in 1980, the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) switched to support the [[FRELIMO]] Government, in order to protect Zimbabwe's eastern city of [[Mutare]] and the strategic railway line to Mozambique's port city of [[Beira, Mozambique|Beira]] which were being attacked by RENAMO.<ref>{{cite web |title=Zimbabwe's Military Involvement in Mozambique1982 - 1992 |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205234951/http://ccrweb.ccr.uct.ac.za/archive/defencedigest/defdigest03.html#1 |website=SACDI Defence Digest |access-date=17 May 2024}}</ref>
-=== Operation Lemon ===
+===Operation Restore Legacy===
-The first of the ZDF follow-up operations was launched from Katiyo and Aberdeen in northern [[Manicaland Province|Manicaland]], code-named Operation "Lemon". The five-day operation lasted from the 5th to 9 December 1984. It comprised elements of 3 Brigade, the Parachute Group, Special Air Service (SAS), and was supported by the Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ). Poor weather conditions and the difficult mountainous terrain reduced the use of aircraft, and most transportation had to be done by helicopters. The movement of troops on the ground was also difficult. Four contacts were made and two RENAMO bases were destroyed. While successful in capturing the bases themselves, most RENAMO elements in the bases managed to escape and only eight were captured. The ZDF considered this operation as a major failure and the code word Lemon was corrupted to mean any failure in all subsequent operations. It was further established that there were no other permanent bases in the area, only some advance posts and temporary bases used by RENAMO as launching pads for food raids into Zimbabwe. The raid was important in establishing the location of the main RENAMO base at Messinse, Chito, Nyazonia, Buetoni, Gorongosa Central Base and Casa Banana.
-=== Gukurahundi Genocide 1983-87 ===
-[[Gukurahundi]] was a series of massacres of [[Northern Ndebele people]] or formerly known as Matabele carried out by the Zimbabwe National Army from early 1983 to late 1987. The [[International Association of Genocide Scholars]] estimates that more than 20,000 people were killed and have classified the massacres as a genocide.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/19/mugabe-zimbabwe-gukurahundi-massacre-matabeleland|title=Zimbabwe: new documents claim to prove Mugabe ordered Gukurahundi killings|first=Stuart|last=Doran|date=19 May 2015|via=www.theguardian.com}}</ref>
-===Casa Banana Raid===
-Intelligence sources had indicated that Cassa Banana, RENAMO's national headquarters had a strength of 400 elements. However, the organisation maintained a string of other smaller bases along the Gorongosa Mountains, which were considered as part of the main base. This raised the total estimated strength in the area to 1 000 elements. During the night of 27 August 1985, three Zimbabwe infantry battalions were established in their Form Up Points (FUP) with the help of the SAS and Commando elements. At Chimoio a Fireforce was being given final briefing, and five AFZ planes were given orders for a first light take-off for Gorongosa on the morning of 28 August. The Fireforce was divided into three sections each with one helicopter gunship, two transport helicopters and two transport aircraft with paratroopers. Each Fireforce section was detailed to attack specific suspected RENAMO positions around the Gorongossa Mountains. It was during this three pronged attack that one helicopter observed activity on the ground at the location that had been given at the briefing as Cassa Banana. Fighter jets from Thornhill, which were already in the air, began the raid on Cassa Banana. It took the entire day to conclude the raid. No official records of casualties for either contingent were given.
-==Operation Restore Legacy==
 {{Main|2017 Zimbabwean coup d'état}}
 In October 2017, the ZDF was involved in a coup d'état which resulted in the resignation of long-serving President [[Robert Mugabe]] and the formation of a new government under [[Emmerson Mnangagwa]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Cropley|first=MacDonald Dzirutwe, Joe Brock, Ed|date=2017-11-27|title=Special Report: 'Treacherous shenanigans' - The inside story of Mugabe's downfall|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-zimbabwe-politics-mugabe-specialrepor-idUSKBN1DQ0AG|access-date=2021-05-30}}</ref>
-==Equipment==
-* [[Type 63 (armoured personnel carrier)|Type 63 APC]]
-* [[Type 85 AFV]]
-* [[Type 89 AFV]]
 ==Notes==
@@ Line 95: / Line 82: @@
 ==References==
-* Central Intelligence Agency [https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/zimbabwe/]
+* {{cite web |title=Zimbabwe |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/zimbabwe/ |website=The World Factbook |publisher=Central Intelligence Agency |language=en |date=4 May 2022}}
-*{{cite book| title=The Military Balance 2019| author1=International Institute for Strategic Studies| author-link1=International Institute for Strategic Studies| date=15 February 2019| publisher=[[Routledge]]| location=[[London]]| isbn=9781857439885| ref=IISS2019}}
+* {{cite book| title=The Military Balance 2019| author1=International Institute for Strategic Studies| author-link1=International Institute for Strategic Studies| date=15 February 2019| publisher=[[Routledge]]| location=[[London]]| isbn=9781857439885| ref={{sfnref|IISS|2019}} }}
-* Reuters [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-zimbabwe-politics-mugabe-specialrepor/special-report-treacherous-shenanigans-the-inside-story-of-mugabes-downfall-idUSKBN1DQ0AG]
+* [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-zimbabwe-politics-mugabe-specialrepor/special-report-treacherous-shenanigans-the-inside-story-of-mugabes-downfall-idUSKBN1DQ0AG Reuters Report]
 * Central Intelligence Organisation
-*https://www.enca.com/africa/full-statement-by-zim-army-on-state-broadcaster
+* https://www.enca.com/africa/full-statement-by-zim-army-on-state-broadcaster
-* Operation Restore Legacy [https://news.pindula.co.zw/2017/11/17/zrp-support-unit-attempted-to-arrest-general-chiwenga-when-he-returned-from-china/]
+* [https://news.pindula.co.zw/2017/11/17/zrp-support-unit-attempted-to-arrest-general-chiwenga-when-he-returned-from-china/ Operation Restore Legacy]
 ==Further reading==
 *Abiodun Alao, 'The Metamorphosis of the Unorthodox: The Integration and Development of the Zimbabwe National Army' (chapter in book compiled by Terence Ranger, 'Soldiers in Zimbabwe's Liberation War'), 1995
 *Norma J. Kriger, ‘Guerrilla Veterans in Post-war Zimbabwe: Symbolic and Violent Politics,’ 1980–1987, Cambridge UP, 2003
+*{{Cite web |last=Ministry of Defence - H/Q |date=2011 |title=The Zimbabwe Defence Forces: Resolute in defence of national gains, peace and security |url=http://www.defence.gov.zw/ |access-date=27 May 2022 |website=Ministry of Defence}}
 ==External links==
-*[http://www.mod.gov.zw/ Zimbabwe Ministry of Defence]
+*[http://www.mod.gov.zw/ Zimbabwe Ministry of Defence] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061004055939/http://www.mod.gov.zw/ |date=2006-10-04 }}
 {{Zimbabwe topics}}

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