Senior Air Force officer promoted
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has promoted Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ) Group Captain Valentine Sedze to the rank of Air Commodore on his retirement.
The President made the promotion in terms of the Defence Act Section 20, as read with Statutory Instrument 257 of 2020, Section 19c subsection 2c, which reads:
“His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces may on the advice of the Minister of Defence, acting on the recommendations of the Commander Zimbabwe Defence Forces, reward any member for distinguished service or gallant conduct on active service by promoting an officer to a higher rank.”
AFZ Commander Air Marshal John Jacob Nzvede recommended the promotion to Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri who forwarded the recommendation for promotion to President Mnangagwa.
Air Commodore Sedze is a veteran of the liberation struggle. Ex-combatants are generally promoted to the next rank on retirement, which is in the regulations and in line with the Constitution of Zimbabwe, to honour the country’s liberators for their selfless cause for the country to attain independence from colonial rule.
Conferring new insignia of rank on the promoted officer, Air Marshal Nzvede said the promotion was a true testimony of hard work and loyalty to national duty stemming from the days of the liberation struggle.
“The promotion we are witnessing today is a true testimony of selfless service you have shown to this country which dates back as far as the war of liberation struggle leading to these many years of service in the Air Force of Zimbabwe,” he said.
He called on the senior officer to remain exemplary in his retirement adding that the AFZ will not hesitate to call on him if his services are required. Air Commodore Sedze promised to remain loyal.
“If I may be honest, I have been waiting for this day. Everything has a beginning and an ending. I would like to thank His Excellency, President Mnangagwa for this recognition. This is my time to go and rest and do things that I could not do during my active service. I will remain available anytime I am called back for duty in any capacity,” he said.