Former top spy says Zim army in trouble

Fortune Nkosi

Bulawayo—The Defence parliamentary portfolio committee chaired by former head of presidential close security, Albert Nguluvhe, has revealed a raft of serious problems that the Zimbabwean military is facing.
Nguluvhe, who is also the lawmaker for Beitbridge East in southern Zimbabwe, was head of former president Robert Mugabe’s security.
He was forcibly removed from his position as a presidential aide and deputy director general in the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) during the 2017 coup and was seriously injured when soldiers stormed the Blue Roof mansion that Mugabe used as a private family home.

Despite that, he was allowed to contest as a Zanu PF legislative candidate during the 2018 elections and won, further retaining the position in 2023.
In his committee’s post-2025 budget analysis, Nguluvhe revealed the bleak state of Zimbabwe’s defence sector, saying the dire conditions soldiers are facing have forced them to fund some basic military necessities from their meagre salaries.
The Nguluvhe report forecast resignations from the military due to poor working conditions and low morale.
For 2025, the Defence and War Veterans ministry received a total allocation of ZiG $18.05 billion, a mere 13.5 percent of its proposed budget of ZiG $133.6 billion.
During Mugabe’s time, the military used to get top budgetary allocations.
His successor, Emmerson Mnangagwa, is of late seen as seeking to rely less on the military, which helped him get into power.
During the 2023 general elections, he resorted more on central intelligence through a shadowy outfit called Forever Associates of Zimbabwe Trust (FAZ) for his and Zanu PF campaigns.
Nguluvhe warned meagre allocations to the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) compromised the military’s ability to conduct training, procure critical resources and maintain operational readiness.
“The ministry of Defence has key expenditure items that cannot be half-funded because of their interconnectedness in nature. For example, rations, adequate fuel, military equipment and food are required to complete a full training programme, since training cannot be half-done,” he said.
One of the most pressing challenges is the military’s mounting debt.
As of November 30, 2024, the defence ministry owed numerous creditors ZiG $9.2 billion, with some of the outstanding payments dating back to three years before.
“The ministry has a heavy debt burden of unfunded payments amounting to ZiG 248.4 million as of November 2024,” Nguluvhe noted. “This has resulted in inadequate supplies of rations, failure to conduct training, delays in procuring essential spares and military equipment.”
The chairperson lamented delays in implementing the Military Salary Concept, which could lead to the loss of key personnel seeking better opportunities elsewhere.
He said the concept, designed to enhance the conditions of service for ZDF members, has not been fully implemented and, since April 2022, treasury has failed to disburse the full rates for allowances.
“The Ministry is likely to lose a number of its key personnel who will leave the force to look for greener pastures,” Nguluvhe said.
Nguluvhe’s report also noted that critical needs such as rations, uniforms, medical care and institutional accommodation for ZDF members were severely underfunded, with allocations falling significantly short of the ministry’s ideal bids.
Defence received just over 10 percent of its requirements, according to the committee report.
“An allocation of ZiG 1 352 031 000 (ZW1.3 billion) against an ideal bid of ZiG 12 578 182 (ZW12.5 billion) will result in the ministry failing to provide adequate rations and uniforms to its members. This creates a funding gap of 89.25 percent, which makes it difficult for the ministry to meet all its constitutional responsibilities in 2025.”
Nguluvhe’s committee feared that this shortfall would hamper the ministry’s ability to meet its constitutional responsibilities, potentially forcing members to cover these necessities from their limited salaries and adversely affecting their health and morale.
Political analyst, Bernard Magugu, expressed concern over the government’s treatment of its military personnel yet relies on it to secure its grip on power.
“It’s so sad that the government, which has been protected by the army, is making the same uniformed forces suffer like this. This government cares about no one except themselves,” he said.
Magugu warned the combination of internal challenges within the military and its overt political alignment posed significant risks to Zimbabwe’s stability.
He stressed the importance of an apolitical military, saying neutrality would promote public trust, maintain social cohesion, and facilitate economic development.
“The military should forthwith take an apolitical stance whereby they remain strictly neutral and avoid taking sides in political disputes. This means refraining from supporting or opposing any politics, a party faction or individual,” he said.
Magugu argued that a stable political environment, free from military intervention, would encourage both domestic and foreign investment.
Despite these calls for neutrality, statements from military leadership suggest a continued alignment with Zanu PF.
In July 2024, army commander, Lieutenant General Anselem Sanyatwe, declared that Zanu PF would “rule until donkeys grow horns,” indicating the military’s intention to safeguard the party’s prolonged governance.
In 2017, the military was involved in removing Mugabe and, in subsequent years, quelling protests.
Beyond personnel welfare, the ZDF faces operational challenges due to outdated and unserviceable equipment.
Nguluvhe noted that most of military vehicles were overused, with an urgent need for new resources, including helicopters and other forms of aircraft.
His report also highlighted the dire living and working conditions faced by members of the armed forces.
Soldiers and airmen are poorly kitted due to budgetary constraints and many officers face serious accommodation shortages.
Ongoing housing projects, such as those in Imbizo and Josiah Magamba Tongogara Barracks, have stalled due to inadequate funding.
“Progress has stalled on several high-impact Public Sector Investment Programmes (PSIPs) that would ease accommodation problems in the military,” Nguluvhe said.
Training, a critical component of military preparedness, has also been severely affected.
The Defence ministry received ZiG 122.6 million for training in 2025, translating to only 44.38 percent of the required ZiG 276.3 million.
“The rapid changes in technology demand continuous adaptation and training to keep abreast of new developments. This is critical in order to keep the Defence Forces ready for any threat that might arise be it internally or externally,” Nguluvhe stated.
Nguluvhe lamented that the ministry’s proposed budget for re-equipment, refurbishment, and upgrading military assets was “slashed” by 98.72 percent, limiting the military’s ability to respond to modern threats.
The report also underscored the urgent need for maintenance and refurbishment of military infrastructure, noting that Defence House, which accommodates the ministry’s headquarters, has “developed cracks that require urgent attention.”
“Ministry had also budgeted to upgrade electronic security systems at most key establishments, but however as a result of insignificant funding, these and many other targets could not be realised in 2024 as is likely to be the case in 2025,” Nguluvhe said.