The Zimbabwe defence force's Military operations other than war (MOOTW) in the post-2000 period

Abstract

This thesis examined the non-military contributions of the Zimbabwe military to development in the period from 2000 to 2020. At the core of the thesis is the novel concept of ‘Military Operations Other Than War (MOOTW)’ in a highly polarised Zimbabwean society. Within this context, it presents a historical analysis of the origin of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF). This historical background is a useful foundation to analyse civil-military relations in contemporary Zimbabwe. The key proposition is that political party polarisation provided for the justification of mixed feelings and perceptions towards the ZDF to the extent that their MOOTW are overlooked. What is emerging from this thesis is that social and political cleavages resulting from the competitive multi-party system impinged and impacted on development process and affected civil-military relations. The increased military interventions in civilian aspects of life, of the state and nation were perceived by some sections of the polarised society as partisan. The thesis reveals that a multi-party system were political parties cooperate, as opposed to competition in the arenas of political, social, and economic development opens the space for MOOTW to compliment long-term national aims and objectives of attainment of peace and development for the people of Zimbabwe. Military studies in a polarised nation characterised by severe development challenges tend to be very sensitive. The thesis, therefore, adopted research approach, design and methods that were most suitable to produce credible research findings. The qualitative research approach, and the snowball sampling method enabled the researcher to gather the meaning the people of Zimbabwe both civilians and military personnel attach to their experiences as they relate with the ZDF work towards national development.