PRESIDENT HAILS DEFENCE FORCES'
GENDER POLICY
By Arnold Mutemi
June 5, 2004 - (The Herald - Harare) The Zimbabwe Defence Forces'
policy of promoting gender equality continue to be boosted by the
presence of several female cadets in the officer cadet training
courses, President Mugabe said yesterday.
Speaking at the commissioning of 76 officer cadets
at the Zimbabwe Military Academy in Gweru, he said the 11 female
cadets who were commissioned yesterday as officers in the army
had matched their male counterparts in all aspects during training.
"It is my hope that deserving female members
of the defence forces will in future be given positions of responsibility
in their areas of speciality," said President Mugabe who is
the Commander-in-Chief of the ZDF.
He said the officer cadet course had a high drop
out rate because the world over, the programme was not for people
with a weak physical and psychological disposition as the quality
of a nation's defence depended on the quality of its training.
"This background should put to rest claims
that were made in some quarters of the media fraternity after Regular
Officer Cadet Course Number 3/19 in 2001 that the high drop-out
rate was a result of poor living conditions at the institutions."
Course 3/20/02 started with 148 students but only
76 were commissioned while the rest failed to make it for various
reasons, including Officer Cadet Leonid Sibonginkosi Nyathi, who
died at Parirenyatwa Hospital after suffering from a hernia complication
which did not respond to medication.
Cde Mugabe sent his condolences to the Nyathi family.
He urged the new officers to remain loyal and patriotic
in order to efficiently carry out their constitutional role of safeguarding
the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
"On its part, Government will continue to improve
your conditions of service. I am aware that the Military Salary
Concept which takes the peculiar nature of the military profession
into account is now in place. I am also aware that the neighbouring
ZIMRE flats have been acquired by the Government for use by your
directing staff, thereby alleviating the accommodation problems
that were experienced in the past", he said.
Course 3/20/02 is the 20th such course to be completed
by the Zimbabwe Military Academy since Independence.
Cde Mugabe said the course had ensured a continuous
injection of new blood into the ZDF officers' corps and had become
synonymous with an oasis which constantly replenished and rejuvenated
the corps. The commissioning ceremony was attended by several high
ranking Government and army officials.
From: http://allafrica.com/stories/200406070172.html
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