August 11, 2015, Harare. NewsDay gives you live updates of the Zimbabwe Defences Forces (ZDF) Day ceremony currently underway in Harare at the National Sports Stadium where President Robert Mugabe is expected to give a speech before Harare soccer giants Dynamos plays against the ZDF select team.
12:30 Jah Prayzah on stageAfter the president’s address, the ground is cleared for acrobatic demonstrations. Meanwhile, popular musician Jah Prayzah is entertaining the crowd with a live performance.
The 91 year old strongman says Pakistan, which is represented by service chiefs at the ceremony, once helped Zimbabwe’s defence forces, with a Marshall from Pakistan heading the air force from 1983 to 1986.
Mugabe pays tribute to the ZDF for constructing a school in Murongwe, Mashonaland Central and an Early Childhood Developoment Centre at Nyadire Teachers’ Training College in Mutoko, and at Mapani Primary School in Mashonaland West.
Mugabe says at international level, the ZDF helped deal with the political disturbances in Lesotho and together with other regional armed forces, the ZDF will participate in an exercise in Amani, South Africa before the end of the year.
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On the hardships the country is currently facing, Mugabe commends the forces for ‘discharging their duty in spite of the challenges’ and remaining loyal.
“Recently, this has not been easy” he says, referring to the economic challenges.
Mugabe dismisses calls for the security sector reforms and adds that these calls, which are mainly been made by opposition politicians who claim that the military is partisan, have affected the operations of the defence forces. Mugabe says there have been attempts to scuttle procurement of hardware for use by the ZDF.
Despite the economic crisis and the credit crunch, Zimbabwe’s cash-strapped government last week took delivery of $50 million worth of vehicles which include all-terrain troop-carrying trucks, water cannons, buses and equipment, mostly used by military and police
Click here for the full story on Zim splurges $50m on military vehicles
Mugabe, know for his long, winding speeches during events, on this occassion ends his speech in just under 30 minutes.
Defence Minister Sydney Sekeramayi is now giving the welcome remarks as the official programme of the day beings to take shape.
In his remarks, Sekeramayi said the army constructed a school in Buhera during this year’s Social Community Week, a part of the defence forces’ social responsibility program.
Special guests include service chiefs from Pakistan and Angola.
FEEDBACK What our readers are sayingMeanwhile, we asked our readers on Facebook to share their messages to the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.
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11:15 Mugabe inspects troopsWhat is your message to the Zimbabwe Defence Forces on their day?https://newsday.wpengine.com/2015/08/11/live-updates-zimbabwe-defence-forces-day-ceremony/
Posted by NewsDay-Zimbabwe on Tuesday, 11 August 2015
President Robert Mugabe has arrived and inspected the parade mounted by the presidential guard. After the inspection, the parade is now marching around the stadium. Meanwhile, members of the public continue to come into the stadium, and observations show the crowds in the terraces are mainly children and uniformed members of the apostolic sects who are often part of such events.
More file pictures of the Defence Forces’ Day
11:00 Officials arriveThe 60 000-seater National Sports Stadium is nearly full as the venue gets warmed up for the day ahead. Sungura music star Alick Macheso entertained people with a performance earlier on. Government,and militay officials are slowly trickling in and taking their positions on the podium. So far, Vice Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko, ZDF commander General Constantine Chiwenga, First Lady Grace Mugabe and her family, and other senior army officials have arrived.
Other officials present include Local government minister Saviour Kasukuwere, Home Affairs minister Ignatius Chombo.
Moyo TweetsMeanwhile, Higher and Tertiary Education minister Jonathan Moyo is tweeting:
Having Rhodies in Zim politics is like having Nazis in Israel politics: National Security threat. Happy Defence Day! pic.twitter.com/Bznmw0iBWe
— Prof Jonathan Moyo (@ProfJNMoyo) August 11, 2015
About the Zimbabwe Defence Forces Day
Zimbabwe Defence Forces Day is an annual national holiday during which a public ceremony is held, and the president of the country, currently Robert Mugabe, addresses the forces in his capacity as commander-in-chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.
An exhibition of military hardware and acrobatic art displays also take place during the ceremony. The holiday comes a day after the Heroes’ Day, another national holiday meant to commemorate Zimbabwe’s National Heroes.
Updates by Xolisani Ncube at the National Sports Stadium. Editing: Tapiwa Zivira Social Media. Annegrette Dube