THE Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) are serving our nation beyond the call of duty.
Their selfless acts of charity and technical assistance are positively impacting communities.
But being men and women of action, members of the ZDF are not given to too much talking, and as a result, most of their good works go unnoticed and are not celebrated.
It is only during this period, in the month of August, when we celebrate our Heroes’ and ZDF’s days that we get a glimpse into the massive works that they are quietly doing, seeking no glory but to improve lives.
During this time, we members of the media bulldoze our way into their various activities and being a people’s army, they humour us by letting us in.
Watching television in recent days, I saw the various noble activities that have been and are being carried out all over the country by our army.
When we meet our defence forces in some sections of the media, we are given images of monsters, of a hard-hearted lot that is not serving the nation and benefiting communities.
But our defence forces are building schools and clinics around the country, improving the quality of life.
Tertiary institutions down to primary level have benefited from the many skills found in our army.
Grateful recipients of these noble developments confessed how they would never have been able to achieve the developments on their own without the support of our soldiers.
Not only has the army been helping communities in construction projects, but has extended support to citizens requiring medical help.
Some 10 children were recently assisted to go to India to receive various cardiovascular treatments and surgeries.
Aid in the country is obviously not just coming from the non-governmental-organisations, but also from our soldiers.
We can only but respect an army which, despite the liquidity crunch that has not spared anyone or institution in the country, is going out of its way to help the people it has sworn to serve.
Indeed, we have cordial relations with our army, the selflessness and community spirit of the men and women in uniform must serve as a reminder to all citizens of our duty and obligation to one another as a people.
The ZDF has shown that it is not just a military institution, but a cultural bastion.
It is not only producing gun-toting soldiers, but personnel preserving and maintaining age-old traditions steeped in hunhu/ubuntu.
They army constitute the bedrock of our values and culture; values and ethos of the African people.
The next time our scribes pick up the pen to vilify our men and women in uniform, they must pause and think of the work they are doing, which lies outside their core business of defending our sovereignty.
Let us respect, support and rally behind our military establishment which is doing a sterling job of serving the Nation.
A Nation without a solid military establishment cannot stand proudly in the family of nations.
Zimbabweans will not be found wanting on this front; it is a Nation protected and defended by patriotic sons and daughters of the soil who carry the vision of the Nation steeped in our identity; past, present and future.