Zimpapers Logo

Commander Defence Forces General Philip Valerio Sibanda confers the rank of Major-General on Hlanganani Dube at Josiah Magama Tongogara Barracks in Harare yesterday. – (Picture by Innocent Makawa)

Freeman Razemba and Samantha Chipoyera
Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander General Philip Valerio Sibanda has challenged newly-promoted senior officers to perform to expectations in their new positions, which come with increased responsibilities. In December last year, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, promoted several senior officers to various ranks.

Among those promoted by President Mnangagwa were former Brigadier-Generals – David Sigauke, John Chris Mupande, Paul Chima and Hlanganani Dube – to the rank of Major-General. Major-Generals Sigauke, Mupande and Chima, were recently conferred with their new ranks, except for Major-Gen Dube, who was in South Africa on duty.

Gen Sibanda conferred him with his new rank yesterday at Josiah Magama Tongogara Barracks. Major-Gen Dube is now the Zimbabwe National Army Chief of Staff (Quartermaster Staff). Gen Sibanda congratulated all officers who were recently promoted.

“I want to first thank and congratulate Major-General Hlanganani Dube for his elevation from Brigadier-General to Major General as the Chief of Staff Quartermaster Staff. This should have happened last week, when the actual promotions took place, but because he was out on duty in South Africa, he was not able to join others. We had to set this date for this ceremony.

“A lot more officers and men of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces were promoted during the course of the year 2017 and I want to take this opportunity to congratulate all of them on their promotion and I hope that they will perform to our expectations in their new ranks,” he said.

He said any promotion comes with increased responsibilities and increased expectations. He said it was the hope of the leadership that Major-Gen Dube would perform to expectations.

“And now to you Major-General Hlanganani Dube, you have been chosen from amongst many to be elevated to the rank of Major-General and there are expectations that come with that promotion. Expectations from those above you and expectations from those below you and we can only hope that you are going to meet those expectations.

“Any promotion comes with increased responsibilities and increased expectations. Therefore it is our wish as the leadership to see that you perform as we expect. And those below you will also look up to you and I hope you live up to their expectations,” Gen Sibanda said.

He said promotion boards would continue to sit and those who qualified for promotion would be recognised when the time came.

“We will continue to have boards and those who are eligible will be considered and will be promoted when the time comes,” he said

The ceremony was attended by several ZDF senior officers.