Reports of mounting tension at Zimbabwe Military Academy

By Tichaona Sibanda
30 January 2007

There are reports that the Zimbabwe Military Academy (ZMA) was sealed off last week following a standoff between army cadets and their instructors over salaries. The academy which is based in Gweru is used as an entry point for all new officer cadets.

A source based in the town told us that senior officers from the cadet wing were summoned to Harare to explain what happened.

We also received reports that at least 170 airmen from Thornhill airbase have quit the Airforce in frustration over low salaries and poor working conditions. In retaliation, airforce bosses have accused the former employees of working against the government and supporting the opposition. Both the ZMA and Thornhill are based in Gweru, the capital of the Midlands province.

The atmosphere at the academy is reportedly tense following accusations from senior officers that the new recruits were being influenced by outside forces. It is believed the top army brass did not take the incident lightly and have ordered a full-scale inquiry over the disturbances.

Norman Dube a resident of Gweru who alerted Newsreel about the standoff said the cadets have made it clear no political pressure motivated their actions. They said their actions were purely based on the promise they got from their commanders that they were to get a salary hike at the end of January.

A former colonel in the army told us from London that such incidents were very rare in the defence forces in the past but not these days. He said a growing number of soldiers are not happy with the salaries they are getting and many have resigned as a result.

Newsreel failed to locate the ZMA’s commanding officer to get comment over the standoff.