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Columbus Mabika-Herald Reporter

The people of Mashonaland Central, who noticed a sudden influx of troops and military vehicles being deployed in their areas, have been advised to relax since it was simply a routine army training exercise in their areas.

The exercise which started last week and ending on 21 October is covering the districts of Bindura, Mbire Muzarabani, Rushinga, Shamva and Mt Darwin.

The exercise is a follow-up to a similar month-long routine exercise the ZDF conducted last year in conjunction with sister security services, covering Mwenezi and Chiredzi districts in the Lowveld.

The exercises are also part of routine training that is conducted regularly in fulfilment of the forces’ Constitutional mandate

 The ZNA said the exercise is routine training meant to refine the capabilities required to fulfil the ZDF constitutional mandate of defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country.

“The Zimbabwe Defence Forces would like to inform members of the public in Mashonaland Central Province that it is conducting a routine training exercise in parts of Bindura, Mbire, Muzarabani, Rushinga, Shamva and Mt Darwin districts till 21 October 2022. The training exercise is a follow up to another similar exercise conducted in Masvingo Province in 2021 meant to refine the capabilities of the force in the quest to fulfil its mandate,” reads part of the statement.

The ZDF has, over the years, been involved in SADC joint exercises which have been conducted such as Nengosile in Zambia in 2012, Highlander in Lesotho in 2013, Wilwitshia in Namibia 2013, Vale Do Keve in Angola 2014, Mahombekombe Zimbabwe 2015, Matumbahwe in Tanzania and Exercise Umodzi which Malawi hosted in 2018.

In 2019, the ZNA was training in preparation to participate in Exercise Chomela, which was to be held in Botswana in 2020, but was postponed due to the outbreak of Covid 19.

 With the receding of the pandemic, the ZNA has resumed training for Exercise Chomela.

The interaction at regional exercises enhances diplomacy, cohesion, and mutual understanding between Zimbabwe and other nations and usually harmonises operational systems under SADC collective security initiatives.