Army Must Stay Out of Politics and Constitutional Amendments, Says ZNA Commander

HARARE — Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) Commander Lieutenant-General Asher Walter Tapfumaneyi has urged members of the military to remain apolitical and refrain from involving themselves in political processes, including the ongoing constitutional amendment exercise.

Speaking during a change-of-command ceremony at Headquarters Mechanised Brigade in Inkomo on Wednesday, Lt Gen Tapfumaneyi said the military's constitutional role is to serve under civilian authority and implement decisions made by elected leaders, not to participate in political debates or constitutional reforms. The remarks come as Zimbabwe continues deliberations on Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3, which has generated significant political and legal debate.

Lt Gen Tapfumaneyi said armies across the world are not involved in drafting or amending constitutions and should not seek to influence political processes.

“In instances, as we have now, where the Constitution is being written or amended, we can’t be involved in dissecting and coming to the conclusion that the power of the military has been usurped or that powers have been whittled. What power?” he said.

“Are we even authors of the powers that we purport to have? Who among you wrote the Constitution? Did you Brigadier-General Nikisi and Brigadier-General Kufa write the Constitution? So, as it is being written now, why should you be involved?”

The ZNA commander stressed that constitutional authority originates from the people through civilian institutions and not from the military.

Tapfumaneyi reiterated that the Zimbabwe National Army derives its mandate from the country's civilian leadership and is required to execute lawful instructions issued through established constitutional structures.

“We get our instructions as the army from the leadership of the country and execute them to perfection,” he said. “There is no country under the sun, whether you want to call it a democracy or dictatorship, where the army took part in writing the Constitution.”

His comments underscore the constitutional principle of civilian oversight of the military, a cornerstone of democratic governance in many countries.

The army commander also dismissed the notion that military institutions have a responsibility to intervene when they disagree with government policies or performance. He said no army in the world has a mandate to remove governments or seek to "correct" civilian authorities.

“The army is subordinate to civilian authority and should not dabble in politics,” Tapfumaneyi said.

The remarks are likely to attract attention, given Zimbabwe's political history and ongoing national debate surrounding constitutional reforms.

The comments were made during the handover of command at Headquarters Mechanised Brigade, where Brigadier-General Stanford Kufa officially assumed command from Brigadier-General Raban Nikisi. Nikisi is expected to leave Zimbabwe to pursue further military studies in Nigeria. Military officials described the transition as part of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces' ongoing professional development and leadership succession programme.

Zimbabwe is currently considering Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3, which proposes a number of changes to the country's governance framework. The Bill has sparked debate among political parties, legal experts, civil society organisations, and constitutional scholars, with supporters arguing that the reforms will strengthen governance, while critics have raised concerns about their potential implications.

Against that backdrop, Lt Gen Tapfumaneyi's remarks reinforce the military leadership's position that constitutional and political matters should remain the responsibility of civilian institutions, with the armed forces maintaining their professional and non-partisan role.

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