History

The Lancaster House Agreement negotiated in the United Kingdom in 1979 on the conflict in Rhodesia ushered in the independence of Zimbabwe.  In the same agreement was a provision for the formation of a new post-independence Army, the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA).   The ZNA was established in 1980 after Zimbabwe gained its independence through the amalgamation of three distinct armed forces that are the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA), the armed wing of ZANU led by Robert Mugabe, the Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA), the armed wing of ZAPU led by Joshua Nkomo, and the Rhodesian Army, formerly serving the white-minority government of Rhodesia.

The Joint High Command was formed in 1980 and played a crucial role in the formation of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) by acting as a transitional body responsible for integrating ZANLA, ZIPRA, and the Rhodesian Army. It supervised the Lancaster House ceasefire, ensuring compliance through troop monitoring and disarmament, and spearheaded the unification of the three forces by establishing common training programs, rank structures, and command hierarchies. In essence, the Joint High Command provided the essential framework and leadership to transform three previously hostile forces into a cohesive national army, a process that would likely have been far more chaotic and violent without its guidance, potentially jeopardizing the stability of the newly independent Zimbabwe.

Complementing the integration process were parallel standardization training programmes run by the British Military Advisory and Training Team (BMATT) at different command levels for the forming ZNA.The BMATT focused on capacity building and professionalism within the military, helping to transition it from a liberation army to a structured national force, crucial for ensuring stability and defence in the country.The integration process, code named ‘Operation Sausage Machine’ was intricate, fraught with challenges stemming from ideological disparities, mutual distrust, and logistical complexities.

Lieutenant General George Peter Walls was assigned by the then Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, Cde RG Mugabe to supervise the forces integration process. His assignment was short-lived since he quickly fell out of the Prime Minister’s favour due to suspicions of complicity following several assassination attempts on the life of Cde RG Mugabe during the period leading up to independence.At its inception, the Zimbabwe National Army was organized into four brigades which collectively contained 29 battalions.By late-1980, a number of newly integrated ZNA units had been formed with Lieutenant General RS Mujuru as the first Commander ZNA.A fifth brigade was established in 1981, increasing the total number of battalions to 36.