By Dr Masimba Mavaza| The appointment of the military personnel is government is not only peculiar to Zimbabwe. World-over governments are filled with ex-army officers and there is no one who complains about it.
In politics ex-military members can-not be wished away. They are not monsters. They are citizens who have sacrificed for the good of the masses and they should not be politically discriminated because they are soldiers.
Politics can-not be stable without the army. There is no country in the world where soldiers are not part of politics. In the British House of Commons there are 56 ex-military men and women as MPs. In the US Congress the number of ex-military men has actually grown to 108. – CONTINUE READING…
Actually military people are more disciplined than civilian politicians in using the military. Former Conservative leader Ian Duncan Smith, a former Lieutenant in the British Army and Spokesman for the Brexit would not have been approved in Zimbabwean politics. Politicians in Zimbabwe are busy misleading the public and saying that the appointment of army personnel is dictatorial. It should be noted that being military is being political and dropping into mainstream civilian politics is only a change in the phase of politics. In 1971, membership of the US military service was at its peak, veterans made up 72 percent of members in the Congressional House and 78 percent in the Senate. In 1981, that number dipped to 64 percent of members, but veterans still made up a majority of Congress. So you need to adapt and stop moaning.
Many American presidents served in the military, but also quite a few did not serve.
Washington served as an officer in a non-American military (he was a militia officer when the British still ruled the original 13 states), and only one (Teddy Roosevelt), won the Medal of Honor.
George Washington- Virginia Regiment (British army) during the French and Indian War. Served as a general in the U.S Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.
Thomas Jefferson- Virginia Militia during the American Revolutionary War did not see action but he was a soldier; James Madison- Virginia Militia during the American Revolutionary War.
James Monroe-was an Army officer during the American Revolutionary War. Monroe served in several battles, and was wounded at the Battle of Trenton. He went on to become the president of America.
Andrew Jackson-Served as a courier for American militia units at age 13 in the American Revolutionary War.
He was captured by the British and held prisoner. While a captive, he was beaten by a British officer for refusing to polish the man’s boots. Jackson’s brothers both died during the war (one in battle, the other due to illness while a prisoner with Andrew). Also, his mother died of illness while in British captivity. He commanded American troops in the War of 1812, and the Creek War, and the First Seminole War.
William Harrison was a -U.S. Army officer in the Northwest Indian War and in the War of 1812.
John Tyler was a militia officer during the War
James Polk-Tennessee State Militia officer.
Zachary Taylor was a -U.S. Army in the War of 1812, the Black Hawk War, the Second Seminole War, and the Mexican-American War.
Millard Filmore was a -New York State Militia during the American Civil War.
Franklin Pierce was a -U.S. Army officer in the Mexican-American War. He was wounded at the Battle of Contreras.
James Buchanan was a -Pennsylvania State Militia in the War of 1812. When the British invaded neighboring Maryland in 1814, Buchanan enlisted as a private in Henry Shippen’s Company, 1st Brigade, 4th Division, of the Pennsylvania Militia, and served in the defense of Baltimore. Buchanan is the only president with military experience who never served as an officer.
Abraham Lincoln was an-Illinois State Militia officer in the Black Hawk War.
Andrew Johnson-Appointed as Brigadier General and Military Governor of Tennessee during the American Civil War.
Ulysses S. Grant-U.S. Army officer in the Mexican-American War, and a general in the American Civil War.
Rutherford B. Hayes-U.S. Army officer in the American Civil War. Hayes was wounded at the Battle of South Mountain.
James Garfield-U.S. Army officer in the American Civil War. Saw action in several battles, and served as Chief of Staff to General Rosencrans.
Chester A. Arthur-New York State Militia as aQuartermaster officer during the American war.
Benjamin Harrison-U.S. Army Brigadier General in the American Civil War. Participated in many battles and campaigns, including Sherman’s March to the Sea.
William McKinley-U.S. Army officer in the American Civil War. Participated in many battles, including the Shenendoah Valley Campaigns. Had a horse shot out from under him.
Theodore Roosevelt-U.S. Army officer in the Spanish-American War. Teddy Roosevelt remains the only President to receive the
16 Replies to “APPOINTING MILITARY MEN IN GOVERNMENT IS NORMAL, BRITAIN HAS 56 SOLDIERS INSIDE PARLIAMENT”
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Ini ndinogara kunyika where masoja are honoured everyday. Saka I do not at all understand how opposition thinks they can tonga nyika vasina masoja. Unoda kuita sing about human rights akabvepi? From civil wars dzema American yet youhave no respect for masoja. Ivo vaine kukudza masoja
Sarah u are a joke . Are u calling Chiwenga a handful of soldiers. In the army once the general speaks everybody complies failure to obey u are in a mess. Your knowledge of how the Zimbabwean army operates is shallow can’t blame u. U ar poisoned for sure.
This is just nonsense; you are not even comparing oranges with bananas but more like medicine and poison! The UK is a democracy were all these soldiers have to claim and convince the voters that they have something to offer the same cannot be said of the Junta that has ruled Zimbabwe all these last 37 years!
You are poisoned with opposition politics. If you want to complain about a handful of soldiers go ahead but do not tarnish the whole institution. The opposition is busy bad mouthing the entire army because they are unhappy with a few soldiers . what is that? Then you complain when the army does not recognize you. Just look how many bad things the opposition has said about the army since a few soldiers were rightfully coopted into cabinet? The opposition declared itself the enemy of the military simply because some soldiers were coopted into govt and accepted. Waa effort to coopt the opposition into govt not made? Did the opposition not reduse? Now after they refuse a national duty they want to force military people to also refuse. Is that ypur idea of patriotism? What a joke!
Kwese kwese they Are. In the USA presidential candidates have been known to pander to the military. You cannot become president without their support. Zimbabwes opposition is shallow because they copy values of the west without realising it is the military that ensures those values are maintained. Wars have been fought for those values. You do not ask the military to pay the ultimate price for those values and then throw them away once those values have been won. Paying for their lives so the opposition can push them over claiming human rights. Who brought those rights. Our opposition is a joke until they understand the role of the army.
The reporter writes, “Actually military people are more disciplined than civilian people.” Is that so? So where did these top military brass get their massive wealth from? They are corrupt these retired soldiers, they enjoy an opulent life style, they own expensive cars, they own massive mansions with many bedrooms built with ill gotten funds from diamonds and mining. So they are in government to protect their I’ll gotten wealth.
Lol
I agree with you
Yes they may be patriotic in order countries but not Zimbabwe where soldiers are involved in politics. It’s known that most of the top army officers are Zanu.
Broe Munya, I buy your ideas a billion twice. There is equally nothing wrong about integrating these service man into delivery systems. The task at hand is infrastructure development, economic development and returning to our bread basket status. Let’s rally behind these men so that they perform. We must put them to task so that we get results.
Does patriotic mean being a zanu PF member?? Is killing people for voting MDC patriotic ? A soldier who aligns himself to a political party can never be patriotic but partisan. U are a zanu PF supporter we know and u are blinded like many from the reality. The soldiers in other countries have never been heard saying the country will never b ruled by civilians . Our own soldiers have said this countless times. They are violating the constitution of the country by saying that and they are not punished why? They are taking the rights of citizens away and we make them our heroes. Sarah u must know that almost everyone was Zanu-PF and it is because of the deeds of these Zanu-PF leaders that has alienated them so stop blaming people
Soldiers are more patriotic than most people
Surely the is nothing wrong with a retired soldier becoming a politician. After all soldiers are more disciplined and normally tend to follow rules and regulations. After all general Chiwenga could have ceased power from Mugabe for himself and his other generals after Mugabe was gone but he returned the power to the civilian government and went on to retire so he could participate in the government in his capacity as a civilian. By retiring from the army, the generals have freed the army from their influence and the current defense forces commander is not likely going to refuse to salute a president without war of independence credentials should such a scenario happened. This should be seen as a good development for the opposition instead of crying that the soldiers are in government as politicians.
You are not a zanupf member . Yet you make so much noise about zanupf internal politics. Is it perhaps more to do with the realisation Your opposition has no candidate who can compete with Mnangagwa?
They’re setting a bad precedent
Were these appointments after a military coup? Running out of news? Or have become a mouth piece of the junta in legitimising the illegitimate?