The ZNA was originally formed into four brigades , 1 Brigade , Matabeleland , 2 Brigade , Mashonaland , 3 Brigade , Manicaland , and 4 Brigade , Masavingo . These comprised a total of 29 battalions . The brigade support units were composed almost entirely of specialists of the former Rhodesian Army , while unintegrated battalions of the Rhodesian African Rifles were assigned to the 1st , 3rd and 4th Brigades . A 5th was formed in 1981 and deployed primarily against ex-ZIPRA dissidents until 1987 . The unit was later implicated in an extrajudicial purge of suspected dissidents and their supporters , known as Gukurahundi
Gukurahundi
Gukurahundi
Zimbabwe National Army