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President Mugabe presents a trophy to officer cadet Angeline Bosha who was the overall best student during the pilot pass out parade at Thornhill Airbase in Gweru yesterday, while base commander Group Captain George Ngundu looks on approvingly.

Tendai Mugabe in Gweru
Negotiations for a salary increment with civil servants must yield positive results because Government is committed to improving its workers’ welfare, President Mugabe said yesterday. He was speaking after commissioning 11 pilots who completed an Air Force of Zimbabwe Number 66 Pilot Training Course at Thornhill Air Force Base in Gweru.

His remarks come after civil service unions, that had stalled salary increment negotiations by wrangling over representation, yesterday said they had agreed on the composition of their negotiating team and were ready to engage Government in the National Joint Negotiating Council.

The Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces said Government was aware of the challenges facing its workers.

“I am also aware of the need to improve conditions of service for the Defence Forces and those of the entire civil service,” said President Mugabe.

“Negotiations have been opened between Government through the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Services and the various stakeholder civil service unions. It is my fervent hope that these negotiations will culminate in favourable outcomes.”

President Mugabe said in line with the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim-Asset), efforts were already under way to pursue initiatives aimed at upgrading the Air Force of Zimbabwe’s training and operational capacity.

He hailed the graduating pilots for doing their best against a backdrop of limited resources.
The Number 66 Pilot Training Course started with 17 cadets in 2010, and two were selected to pursue their studies in China and Pakistan, while four dropped out for various reasons.

President Mugabe presented the new pilots with flying crew insignia and awards with one of the graduates, Tinos Madzivire, scooping the top prize.

President Mugabe said the Air Force of Zimbabwe faced numerous operational costs as a result of the monstrous illegal sanctions imposed on the country by the West a decade ago.

“While we are today celebrating the successful completion of the Number 66 Pilot Training Course, to get to its ultimate success was not without challenges,” he said.

“Indeed, the course had its own share of challenges, particularly emanating from the economic hardships, brought about by the illegal and heinous economic sanctions imposed by Britain, America and their Western allies.

“The sanctions, which have had a negative impact on our developmental aspirations, were aimed at reversing the gains of our independence. As a result of sanctions, the Air Force of Zimbabwe has experienced a severe shortage of aircraft spare parts and other resources.

“I am heartened to note that the course was nevertheless successfully completed under such adverse conditions, a clear demonstration of the resilience that characterises the Zimbabwe Defence Forces and indeed the graduands.”

Of the 11 commissioned pilots, one was female officer Angeline Bosha, who became the sixth female pilot in the country to graduate from the elite Thornhill Air Force Base’s training programme.

President Mugabe said the graduation of a single female pilot was not in line with the country’s gender equality and empowerment policies.
He challenged women to aggressively venture into all the perceived male dominated fields.

“I am sure we are all aware that the current gender equity and women empowerment drive advocates a 50-50 representation,” said President Mugabe.

“Accordingly, all our efforts should be directed towards achieving this target. In this regard, I wish to challenge the womenfolk of this country to face the challenge and demonstrate their desire for equal representation by taking up the required challenging tasks.”
President Mugabe said he was hopeful that the Air Force of Zimbabwe would intensify efforts to increase the number of women pilots and other female officers.

The training of the pilots was divided into three phases with the first one being military training.
The pilots then attended ground school, which involved aviation studies, and the last phase was airborne flying training.
President Mugabe urged the commissioned pilots to continue upgrading their skills in line with ever-changing technologies and needs.

The commissioning of the 11 pilots was also attended by Defence Minister Sydney Sekeramayi; Justice, Parliamentary and Legal Affairs Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa; Minister of State for Midlands Province Jason Machaya; and service chiefs.