By A Correspondent

Anyway Mutambudzi, the Chief Director of Strategic Communications in the Office of the President and Cabinet, has stirred debate by suggesting that the use of force on society is sometimes necessary to achieve strategic goals.

Speaking from Moscow, Russia, where he accompanied President Emmerson Mnangagwa for the 80th anniversary commemorations of Nazi Germany’s defeat, Mutambudzi drew parallels between World War II and modern governance, using the conflict as a case study to justify the strategic application of force.

“At universities, I teach the use of force in international relations with two main objectives: understanding the evolution of the art of war and the effects of the application of force on society,” Mutambudzi wrote in a public statement.

He described the Second World War as a defining example. “The Second World War is a landmark case study for both objectives as it is in this period that modern warfare based on combined arms and maneuver of infantry, artillery, tanks, airforce, [and] navy reached its zenith,” he said. “The war shaped the global outlook that has endured to the present… including the Cold War between the East and West.”

Mutambudzi further stated, “The use of force, as seen in the war, shows how determined objectives can be achieved when societal resistance is overcome through organized military and strategic pressure.”

The comments, delivered against the backdrop of the Kremlin’s annual Victory Day parade, come at a time when Zimbabwe is grappling with growing civic discontent and increasing state surveillance. Critics may interpret Mutambudzi’s remarks as signaling a hardened stance from the highest levels of government.

Reflecting on his experience at the event, Mutambudzi noted: “I gained a lot of insights and filled gaps in my knowledge of what transpired during those difficult times,” referring to the Russian resistance against German invasion and the eventual advance to Berlin that marked the collapse of Nazi Germany.

His remarks have sparked discussion online, with many questioning whether this endorsement of historical military force could foreshadow more aggressive domestic policies at home.