Section 217: Establishment and composition of Defence Forces Service Commission
Constitution of Zimbabwe
(1) There is a Defence Forces Service Commission consisting of a chairperson who must be the chairperson of the Public Service Commission, and a minimum of two and a maximum of six other members appointed by the President.
[Subsection amended by s. 25 of Act No. 2 of 2021]
(2) Members of the Defence Forces Service Commission must be chosen for their knowledge of or experience in administration, management, military affairs, their professional qualifications or their general suitability for appointment, andโ
(a) at least half of them must be persons who are not and have not been members of the
Defence Forces;
(b) at least one of them must have held senior rank in the Defence Forces for one or more
periods amounting to at least five years.
This section establishes the Defence Forces Service Commission with a balanced composition to ensure proper civilian oversight while maintaining military expertise. By requiring that at least half the members have no military background and at least one member has senior military experience, the constitution creates a commission that combines civilian perspective with practical military knowledge. This structure aims to promote accountability and effective governance of Zimbabwe's defence forces.