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Victor Maphosa and Wellington Dengu
Aircraft technicians must use the knowledge they gain after undertaking special courses to defend national sovereignty and integrity, Air Vice-Marshal John Jacob Nzvede has said.

He said this during the graduation of 61 members of the Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ) who attained diplomas in armaments, radio and telecommunications, air frames, air electrics, engines and power plant and aircraft instruments.

In his speech at the graduation ceremony, Air Vice-Marshal Nzvede said the profession required one to put theory into practice to avoid casualties when working with dangerous weapons and to safeguard the nation from enemies.

“Today marks a milestone as we add another chapter in our records to attest to excellence in training in the AFZ. The 61 aircraft technicians armed with diploma qualifications are ready to join their seniors in the Engineering Directorate to perform their various duties that ensure that we fulfil our mandate of defending Zimbabwe’s airspace and territorial integrity.

“The courses demanded men and women who are dedicated to duty as some did not make it to the graduation due to poor performance. This is a clear testimony that the aviation industry and the AFZ in particular has no room for non-performers as we move to fulfil our mission in the Zimbabwe Defence Forces and our constitutional mandate,” said Air Vice-Marshal Nzvede.

“Our excellence in technical training has been acknowledged in the region and beyond. As a testimony of this, the AFZ was requested to second 15 students from this course to pursue their studies outside Zimbabwe. Further to that, four students from this course were sent to China for pilot training course.”

The Commandant School of Technical Training, Group Captain Michael Mushita, applauded the high standard, commitment and discipline shown by female officers.

“It is much laudable to note that amongst the graduating students, 19 of them are female, some of whom outperformed their male counterparts,” he said.

Meanwhile, Colonel Benjamin Sabata has said changes in the art of war in the past decades required continuous training of military personnel to keep themselves abreast with ever-changing warfare trends.

Col Sabata made the remarks at 2 Presidential Guard Battalion in Harare yesterday where 71 Zimbabwe National Army officers graduated in general squad drill and small arms course.

“The modern-day warfare targets to destroy the moral cohesion that binds a society through asymmetric, cyber and information warfare. As military personnel I am fully aware that there are some hostile agents who are trying to sabotage the economy in order to cause despondencies within the military rank and file,” she said.

“It is through continuous training that you be kept abreast with the ever changing warfare trends and enable you to guard against such threats.

“The Government has taken some austerity measures in order to bring back the country’s economy back on its rails after decades of economic recession. However, the measures require all of us to tighten our belts because they are very painful but will yield positive results.”

He said the country had gone for more than a decade under economic recession, therefore the results could not be an overnight event.