Zimbabwe National Army cap badge

Zimbabwe National Army cap badge

The ZNA was formed in 1980 by integrating three very different forces: the old Rhodesian Army, and the two liberation movements’ armies, ZANLA and ZIPRA, following the Lancaster House Agreement. The integration exercise was assisted by BMATT (British Monitoring and Training Troops) and was accomplished during 1980 and 1981. The badge’s motto, “Our swords are the shield of the nation,” explains the crossed-sword motif carried over from the old Rhodesian and British cap-badge tradition. The Zimbabwe Bird itself is the national emblem, probably representing the bateleur eagle or the African fish eagle , and appears on the flag, coat of arms, and currency as well as on military insignia.