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1257: The aerial displays have started. This brings and end to our updates.

1250: Alick Macheso is now entertaining the crowd.

The armed forces march in quick and slow motion holding the portrait of the Commander in Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, President Robert Gabriel Mugabe. (pic by Zvamaida Murwira)

1239: The armed forces are now marching in quick and slow motion.

1234: President Mugabe has ended his address.

1233: “Allow me to express my sincere gratitude to all those who where converged here today.”

1231: “The Zimbabwe Defence Forces continue to be seized with the privision of food security in the country.”

1229: “On the other hand the first African Union field level exercise dubbed Armani Africa 2 will bring together forces from five regions and the Zimbabwe Defence will provide the forces’ commander for the exercise.”

1227: “On the regional from the Zimbabwe Defence Force conti9nue to make significant contributions to the African Union and SADC standby forces.”

1226: “Zimbabwe Staff College has over the years played host to officers from the region.”

1225: “While some opted to go back to school others were demobilised, those who joined the army formed the bedrock of what we now have as the Zimbabwe Defence Forces whose 34th anniversary we are  celebrating today.”

The armed forces march this afternoon. (pic by Zvamaida Murwira)

1223: “Although there had been temporary suspension of the conflict…the Frelimo victory in Mozambique in 1975 opened the floodgates of the young cadres who fled school and joined the liberation struggle”

1222: “The early 70s saw the opening of the North East zone specially in Centenary”

1220: “Recruiting those early days was also difficult, the Rhodesians policing was brutally efficient..the early cadres was regarded as wanting to do the impossible.”

1218: “Closer to home the found ding fathers of the OAU..had declared at the very first summit in 1963 that Africa would not be free until the whole of Africa is free.”

1217: “A very strict code of conduct was to followed buy the revolutionary cadres and it would it also reflect on how the cadres would relate with the masses.”

1215: “An emergent middle class had risen among the blacks… these provided requisite leadership….when  UDI was declared in 1965 it completely shut out the political space for the blacks in the Southern Rhodesia colony….it became the turning point..the genesis of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.”

1213: “The white settlers were quick to displace blacks forcing them to settle on arid land which was unsuitable for farming…the indigenous people were forced to become white farmers’ labourers.”

1211: “Today we celebrate the force’s 34 years of existence, illustrious performance…it gives us a chance to reflect the force’s past performances and the future”

1209: President Mugabe is now on the podium.

1208: Minister Sekeramayi has now invited President Mugabe to address the gathering.

1200: President Mugabe  is now conferring the medals.

1140: He says in line with the theme it is appropriate to honour 21 representatives of the pioneering forces of the armed wings of the liberation struggle Zimbabwe independence medals.

1137: This year’s theme is Tracing the genesis of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces

1136: “It is delighting that since 1980 the Zimbabwe Defence Forces have grown into a formidable force”

1133: Defence Minister Dr Sydney Sekeramayi is now on the podium.

1120: Armed forces sing “Nzira zde masoja”. It’s a song based on the instructions given to liberation fighters when they were being deployed which included them not torturing prisoners of war, paying for any acquisition as well as respecting civilians.

1100: The armed forces are now marching in quick and slow motion to a cheering crowd that has thronged the National Sports Stadium.

1050: The main Defence Forces Day celebrations are being held at the National Sports Stadium and President Mugabe is inspecting the Guard of Honour.