ZNA targets combat efficiency
THE Zimbabwe National Army is equipping its combat engineers with relevant knowledge in civil engineering for efficiency in both combat and civil engineering assignments, ZNA Commander Lieutenant-General Philip Valerio Sibanda has said.
Speaking at the inaugural graduation ceremony of National Diploma students in Civil Engineering at the Zimbabwe School of Military Engineering at Pomona Barracks, Lt-Gen Sibanda said the graduation was a sign of the organisation transforming itself into a contemporary force, capable of undertaking any task globally.
“The graduates are ice-breakers, they are the first intake when the Zimbabwe School of Military Engineering got affiliated to the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education and enrolled for Higher Education Council,” he said.
Lt Gen Sibanda said efforts were underway to address challenges affecting the civil engineering course.
“Army headquarters is aware of the challenges affecting this training establishment in the execution of your duties and responsibilities,” he said.
“Efforts are underway to address the challenges of workshops, laboratories, standard library and other logistics required to efficiently run civil engineering courses.
Lt-Gen Sibanda said all the graduates should take note that the training was the cornerstone of any formidable army.
“Let me hasten you to remind you that you will be required to design, construct and render advice and apply yourselves diligently without cutting corners,” he said.
Lt-Gen Sibanda thanked the guest lecturers for their support and urged them to continue supporting the school.
He said the successful completion of the inaugural civil engineering course did not bring gratification to the Corps of Engineers alone, but to ZNA as a whole.
School of Military Engineering Commandant, Lieutenant Colonel Augustine Ruwambara, said the aim of the course was to impart the required civil engineering knowledge and skills for students to work as technicians.
“I would like to assure you that we will continue with the spirit of achieving the best,” he said.
“I also confidently assure you that these graduates now have the requisite knowledge to suit any civil engineering assignment.”
There were 16 graduates who managed to complete the course out of 22, the other six students were sent back to their units because of indiscipline and poor performance.