Eyebrows have been raised after more than 80 members of the Zimbabwe National Army sat for and all passed provisional driver’s licence tests conducted at 4.1 Barracks two weeks ago.
It is understood that the soldiers took the licences after an order from a superior in Harare that every soldier must have a licence and now fears are abound that the new drivers are to be used for campaigning in the forthcoming elections by the ruling Zanu PF.
ZNA public relations director Lt Colonel Alphios Makotore referred questions to his junior Captain Francis Chanduru who is based at 4 Brigade. Chanduru neither confirmed nor denied the story but said any soldiers doing driver’s licence courses are doing so to upgrade themselves.
Sources told The Mirror that a letter was read on Parade that the soldiers should get licences urgently as there was a large fleet of vehicles that was coming. Examiners from the Vehicle Inspection Department (VID) then came and conducted learner’s licence tests and all the 80 soldiers who included more than 30 women passed.
The streets of Masvingo are currently a hive of activity with soldiers using their trucks with L plates doing driver’s lessons. A large number of other soldiers are using trucks from Junior Driving School.
Junior Driving School director Noah Marima did not refute allegations that there were a lot of soldiers using his trucks for training. He said the soldiers who were training with his School were like any other ordinary learners.
The Mirror also understands that after completing their learner’s licence courses, the soldiers will go to Plumtree on February 15 where they are going to do road tests and get licences.- masvingo mirror