Farai Dziva|A renowned consultant has described Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri’ s remarks as wrongly timed and out of order.

Piers Pigou, a senior consultant at the International Crisis Group (ICG) said:
“This is a highly-irresponsible statement by the Minister and reinforces an impression that Mnangagwa’s government is locked into a militaristic mindset that has totally ignored the recommendations of the Motlanthe Commission.

Protests are not unconstitutional and the police are responsible for internal security. It is precisely this kind of belligerence that leads people to think that this is a military government with a civilian mask.”

Muchinguri had said “the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) posture on national defence and security is defensive in nature, hence the organisation trains to meet both internal and external security threats.

Judging from the negative private press reports, including adverse social media reports, it is true that frantic efforts are being made by opposition political parties, supported by some non-governmental organisations, to tarnish the good image of the ZDF.”