By Talent Gondo| The arbitrary firing of nurses by Vice President General Constantine Chiwenga is scary and is possibly disastrous for civilians if  the military retains power and gets another 5 year mandate to govern the country, the Zimbabwe Democracy Institute (ZDI) Director, Pedzisai Ruhanya has said.

Ruhanya described VP Chiwenga’s actions as a reflection and indication that the country is under leaders who are worse than the former President Robert Mugabe.

“You see the Mugabe mentality and behaviour in Chiwenga; very evil and Mary Chiwenga could be worse than Grace. Fire the problem not the nurse,” he said.

Ruhanya emphasised the importance of civilian control for a successful democracy.

“Democracy and military: For democracy, civilian control–that is, control of the military by civilian officials elected by the people–is fundamental,” he said.

“Civilian control allows a nation to base its values, institutions, and practices on the popular will rather than on the choices of military leaders, whose outlook by definition focuses on the need for internal order and external security,” said Ruhanya.

He said that because the military is, by necessity, among the least democratic institutions in human experience; martial customs and procedures clash by nature with individual freedom and civil liberty, the highest values in any democratic societies.

Ruhanya cautioned Zimbabweans to elect their leaders carefully come 2018.

“When you decide in July 2018, keep this in mind, it could be worse if you give them five more years of full military rule,” said Ruhanya.