Pro-Government Militias
People's Militia (Zimbabwe)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: | no |
| PGM ID Number: | 93 |
| Country: | Zimbabwe |
| Date formed: | March 22, 1982 |
| Accuracy of date formed: | year |
| Details of Formation: | In 1982, Mugabe announced that adults will be given military training in order to form the People’s Militia forces. |
| Date dissolved: | Sept. 16, 1993 |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: | year |
| Details of Termination: | Allegedly dissolved due to budget cuts in 1993. Around 12,000 members were sacked within 2 months. |
| Termination Type(s): | government defects |
Former and Successor Group Information
| Predecessor group(s): | none |
| Successor group(s): | none |
| Private Military Company? | no |
| Former Group? | no |
| Former Armed Group? | no |
| Former Rebel Group? | no |
| Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
| PGM Becomes Rebel Group? | no |
| Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
Government Relation, Support, and Training
| Government Relation: | semi-official (type 2) |
| Created by the Government?: | yes | Main Creating Government Institution: | person/minister |
| Government Link(s): | person/minister; state (institution); military (institution) |
| If link to party, name of party: | |
| Training and Equipment: | yes |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: | yes |
| Shared Personnel: | no |
| Type(s) of Material Support: | domestic government; Foreign government |
| State Sponsor(s): | Korea North |
| Other Connection(s): |
Group Characteristics
| Membership: | village/rural; former rebels |
| Primary Membership: | local |
| Alternative Primary Membership: | political |
| Location: | Nationwide |
| Force Strength: | [4000, 25000] |
| Target(s): | unarmed political opposition, government critics; rebels, insurgents, or other armed group |
| Purpose(s): | protect national borders and integrity; protect property and investment; self-defense and security; intelligence gathering; intimidation of civilians |
Ethnic Characteristics
| Ethnic Target(s): | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Membership: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Purpose: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: | not applicable |
Other Information
| Other Information: | The People’s Militia were also called the Fifth Brigade |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: | The group was stated to be trained purely for defensive purposes. They were intended to safeguard Zimbabwe’s sovereignty and shield them from internal and external enemies by working with the police and army. Along with Zimbabwean troops, they were stationed in Mozambique to protect vital railroads, highways and oil pipelines from rebel sabotage. The People’s Militia is said to have successfully carried out their mission. |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use | unknown |
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: | Although no further details are given, the group was repeatedly accused of human rights abuses. It has allegedly killed around 20.000 people in the Eighties. |
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: | unknown |
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? | unclear |
| PGM Members Paid? | no information |
| Reasons for Membership: | no information |
| PGM Members Killed? | no information |
PGM Size
| Size: | In September 1983, 4,000 people were already trained. The government intended to train up to 8,000 recruits before the end of that year. In 1986, one report suggests that 25,000 members of the People’s Militia are undergoing training. |
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: | Training of civilians was planned to be conducted in villages throughout the country during weekends. They are trained in the use of weapons ranging from rifles to anti-aircraft batteries. Youths were to receive vocational and military training in centres established by the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Recreation. According to Deputy Minister of Defence, Comrade Ndangana, recruits were scrutinised to ensure that only loyal people would undergo training. One source claims that the group was initially trained by North Korean instructors. |
Organisation
| Organisation: | Deputy Minister of Defence, Comrade William Ndangana, is responsible for the paramilitary training of the People’s Militia. |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Evidence
- Examine the evidence for this coding.