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*Heavily Armed Soldiers Deployed In Chiredzi*

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The Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF) has deployed hundreds of heavily armed soldiers in areas in and around Chiredzi thereby causing panic among villagers.

Some villagers from Chilonga where Government plans to evict 12 000 families to give way to a Lucerne grass project who spoke on condition of anonymity said they were afraid that the Army will use force to evict them. Said one village head who declined to be named:

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> There are hundreds of soldiers who are armed like they are in the battlefield. They are armed to teeth, it’s frightening.

Deputy director of Army public relations, Lieutenant Colonel Alex Zuva confirmed the deployments in a statement to The Mirror but said that these were routine training programmes. He said:

> The exercise is part of routine training that ZDF conducts regularly in fulfilment of its Consitutional mandate. The field training exercise is beig conducted jointly with other security services including ZRP and the President’s Department. The training is being conducted in areas under Chief Sengwe, Chief Chitanga, chief Mpapa, Chief Neromwe, Chief Chilonga and Chief Gezani.

> As part of the ZDF Community Assistance programmes, a COVID-19 vaccination programme will run concurrently with the exercise. The field training exercise which started on September 27, 2021 is expected to end on October 23, 2021.

Masvingo Centre for Research Advocacy and Development (MACRAD) director, Ephraim Mtombeni said it is unprofessional and wrong for the Army to deploy in a civilian area without giving clear information to allay inevitable fear.

Mtombeni said what raised more eyebrows is that Zanu PF District Coordinating Committee (DCC) chairperson for Chiredzi Siyaki Mundungehama is doing the public relations for the Army by issuing statements to villagers. He added:

> ZDF should make use of areas like Gonarenzhou. The presence of ZDF in Chilonga without clear communication instills fear in communities. Further, Zanu PF should not issue statements on behalf of ZDF. These are distinct institutions which must perform their duties as stipulated by the law.

Mundungehama’s statement to the villagers indicated that soldiers (ZDF) will be displaying their drills (Military Exercises) in most of the wards if not all, starting from October 7, 2021, until the end of the month.

It urged villagers to carry on with their usual chores and not to be afraid of them, “but you should respect them because they are your children, brothers, fathers, mothers, and sisters who protect you from the enemies.”

More: The Mirror

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