Book contents
- The Army and Politics in Zimbabwe
- The Army and Politics in Zimbabwe
- Copyright page
- Epigraph
- Contents
- Figures and Tables
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- 1 Preamble
- 2 Fireborn I
- 3 Ghost of Chitepo
- 4 Kingmaker
- 5 The Longest Time
- 6 ‘We Are Free … We Are Here’
- 7 ‘A Big Small Man’
- 8 Gods of Violence
- 9 Fortune, Love and Politics
- 10 Fireborn II
- Notes
- Index
7 - ‘A Big Small Man’
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 January 2020
- The Army and Politics in Zimbabwe
- The Army and Politics in Zimbabwe
- Copyright page
- Epigraph
- Contents
- Figures and Tables
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- 1 Preamble
- 2 Fireborn I
- 3 Ghost of Chitepo
- 4 Kingmaker
- 5 The Longest Time
- 6 ‘We Are Free … We Are Here’
- 7 ‘A Big Small Man’
- 8 Gods of Violence
- 9 Fortune, Love and Politics
- 10 Fireborn II
- Notes
- Index
Summary
The chapter analyses how Mujuru became the first black commander of the army in independent Zimbabwe. With assistance from the British army, Mujuru oversaw the integration of a new national army comprising three undefeated forces: ZANLA, ZIPRA and the Rhodesians. While the chapter is about Mujuru’s hand in the creation of a new army, it underscores Britain’s lasting influence on part of its former empire through active assistance in processes of post-colonial state-making such as military integration. The chapter argues that regard for expertise and professionalism, however imperfect, were a hallmark of the army Mujuru attempted to create. Mujuru understood professionalism in a particular way, which is that the independence army was to be an equipped and technically competent one, with a high degree of discipline, education, military training and operational readiness. The chapter explicates the sources of Mujuru’s regard for expertise and professionalism.
Keywords
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- Information
- The Army and Politics in ZimbabweMujuru, the Liberation Fighter and Kingmaker, pp. 156 - 188Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2020