The Ministry of Defence is a Zimbabwe Government ministry, responsible for defence and national defence policy. The current incumbent minister is Oppah Muchinguri. Levi Mayihlome holds the portfolio of Deputy Minister of Defence. The Ministry is located in the capital of Harare.
It oversees the following uniformed services: Zimbabwe Defence Forces Zimbabwe National Army Air Force of Zimbabwe Zimbabwe Republic Police (joint with Ministry of Home Affairs)
It was established in July 1994 as the combined Zimbabwe Defence Forces Headquarters.
Ministers Name Tenure Title Southern Rhodesia (1923–1954) 1 Robert James Hudson 1 October 1923 – 5 July 1933 Minister of Defence 5 July 1933 – 12 September 1933 Minister of Justice and Defence 2 Stephen Martin Lanigan O'Keeffe 12 September 1933 – 14 November 1934 Minister of Defence 3 Vernon Arthur Lewis 14 November 1934 – 6 October 1936 Minister of Justice and Defence 4 Robert Clarkson Tredgold 6 October 1936 – 12 January 1940 Minister of Defence 12 January 1940 – 28 March 1940 Minister of Justice, Defence and Air 28 March 1940 – 1 March 1943 Minister of Justice and Defence 5 Sir Godfrey Huggins 1 March 1943 – 2 February 1944 Minister of Defence 6 Frank Ernest Harris 2 February 1944 – 1 July 1945 7 William Henry Ralston 1 July 1945 – 7 June 1946 8 Sir Ernest Lucas Guest 7 June 1946 – 15 September 1948 Minister of Defence and Air – Sir Godfrey Huggins 19 November 1948 – 7 September 1953 Minister of Defence 9 George Arthur Davenport 7 September 1953 – 1 July 1954 Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland (1953–1963) 1 Sir Godfrey Huggins 7 September 1953 – 18 December 1953 Minister of External Affairs and Defence 18 December 1953 – 2 November 1956 Minister of Defence 2 Sir Roy Welensky 2 November 1956 – 12 June 1959 3 John Moore Caldicott 12 June 1959 – 7 May 1962 4 Sir Malcolm Palliser Barrow 7 May 1962 – 31 December 1963 Southern Rhodesia (1964–1965) 10 Winston Field 1 January 1964 – 14 April 1964 Minister of External Affairs and Defence 11 Ian Smith 14 April 1964 – 8 May 1964 8 May 1964 – 28 August 1964 Minister of Defence 12 Clifford Dupont 28 August 1964 – 17 November 1965 Rhodesia (UDI period, 1965–1979) – Ian Smith 17 November 1965 – 1966 Minister of Defence 13 The Duke of Montrose 1966 – 1968 14 Jack Howman 1968 – 1974 15 P. K. van der Byl 1974 – 1976 16 Reginald Cowper 1976 – 1977 17 Mark Partridge 1977 – 1977 18 Roger Hawkins 1977 – 11 December 1979 19 John Kadzviti 1978 – 11 December 1979 Zimbabwe Rhodesia (Internal Settlement period, 1979) 1 Abel Muzorewa 1 June 1979 – 11 December 1979 Minister of Defence Zimbabwe (since 1980) 1 Robert Mugabe 1980 – 1985 Minister of Defence 2 Enos Nkala 1985 – 1990 3 Richard Hove 1990 – 1992 4 Moven Mahachi 1992 – 26 May 2001 5 Sydney Sekeramayi 2001 – 13 February 2009 6 Emmerson Mnangagwa 13 February 2009 – 11 September 2013 – Sydney Sekeramayi 11 September 2013 – 27 November 2017 7 Kembo Mohadi 30 November 2017 – 29 December 2017 Minister of Defence, Security and War Veterans 8 Constantino Chiwenga 29 December 2017 – 11 September 2018 Minister of Defence and War Veterans 9 Oppah Muchinguri 11 September 2018 – 4 September 2023 12 September 2023 – present Minister of Defence
Air Name Tenure Title Southern Rhodesia 1 Robert Clarkson Tredgold 12 January 1940 – 28 March 1940 Minister of Justice, Defence and Air 2 Ernest Lucas Guest 28 March 1940 – 7 June 1946 Minister of Air 7 June 1946 – 15 September 1948 Minister of Defence and Air
See also Zimbabwe Defence Forces Zimbabwe National Army Air Force of Zimbabwe Zimbabwe Republic Police Ministry of Home Affairs (Zimbabwe)
References
External links Zimbabwe Ministry of Defence official site