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8 - Gods of Violence

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 January 2020

Blessing-Miles Tendi
Affiliation:
University of Oxford
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Summary

The chapter expounds Mujuru’s legacy in the independence army. Mujuru had enormous impact on the value system of the independence army, particularly in his efforts to foster a particular kind of professionalism. However, Mujuru’s time as head of the military coincided with mutinies by and persecution of ZIPRA elements in the army, as well as ZANU PF political violence against ZAPU supporters, in which thousands of civilian lives were lost. The chapter implicates Mujuru in some of these human rights abuses. Nonetheless, the chapter argues that Mujuru’s stances during the Gukurahundi violence were far from straightforward. He protected some ZIPRAs for their expertise and professionalism and because of personal and ethnic considerations. Mujuru did not subscribe to the fanatical politics of the time. Lastly, the chapter maintains that Mujuru supported Zimbabwe’s 1980s military intervention in Mozambique, in support of the FRELIMO government’s war against a domestic rebel movement, because of solidarity ties forged in the 1970s.

Type
Chapter
Information
The Army and Politics in Zimbabwe
Mujuru, the Liberation Fighter and Kingmaker
, pp. 189 - 223
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2020

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  • Gods of Violence
  • Blessing-Miles Tendi, University of Oxford
  • Book: The Army and Politics in Zimbabwe
  • Online publication: 15 January 2020
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108561600.008
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  • Gods of Violence
  • Blessing-Miles Tendi, University of Oxford
  • Book: The Army and Politics in Zimbabwe
  • Online publication: 15 January 2020
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108561600.008
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Gods of Violence
  • Blessing-Miles Tendi, University of Oxford
  • Book: The Army and Politics in Zimbabwe
  • Online publication: 15 January 2020
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108561600.008
Available formats
×