Herald Reporter
The country’s security and intelligence services are ready to defend it from external aggression, Minister of State Security in the President’s Office Sydney Sekeramayi has said.

Speaking at the inaugural graduation of 31 students from the Robert Gabriel Mugabe School of Intelligence in Harare yesterday, Minister Sekeramayi said the country’s sovereignty was once again under threat from the former colonisers.
The 31 graduates attained Diplomas in Intelligence and Security Studies.
“Closer at home, all are aware that Zimbabwe is under siege. The West led by Britain and the United States are unrelentingly continuing to pursue illegal regime change,” said Minister Sekeramayi.

“I am glad to point out that our security and intelligence services are equally unrelenting in their endeavour to counter these forces in defence of our independence and national sovereignty.”
Minister Sekeramayi said for the intelligence service to effectively counter external threats, it required reliable and factual information.
He said the State needed to receive information on threats earlier enough to launch appropriate counter actions.

Minister Sekeramayi said the core business of intelligence services was to pursue information on threats, risks and vulnerabilities that exist or were expected to come into existence at some point.
“This fact notwithstanding, the State expects the intelligence services to produce trustworthy and authoritative statements that describe and explain past, present and future realities at all times,” he said.

“In that context, the skills which these courses imparted to you broadened your appreciation of the dynamics underpinning intelligence collection, analysis and dissemination to the State.”
Minister Sekeramayi urged the graduates to remain resolute and serve the country with diligence.

He told the graduands that attainment of diplomas was the beginning of a long journey in their lives.
Minister Sekeramayi said the courses offered at RGMSI were tailored to mould best security officers able to articulate security and management issues.
“It is heartening to note that the curriculum is tailor-made amongst other things, to equip students with relevant professional skills and attributes that can be applied to their special areas of practice,” he said.

Present at the graduation ceremony were Director General of the Central Intelligence Organisation Retired Major General Happyton Bonyongwe and other senior officers from the country’s security and intelligence services.

The course, which targets practitioners in the defence, security and intelligence sector has attracted a lot of interest in the region, with students from various countries applying.

The RGMSI is an associate of Bindura University of Science Education and the graduation ceremony was for the first three intakes of the institute.
The institute, which is a brainchild of Rtd Maj Gen Bonyongwe, also enrolled students for degree programmes who will graduate in August.