The Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) have a pervasive history of domestic deployments marked by violence against civilians, a pattern that continued during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite constitutional provisions mandating civilian oversight and professionalism, the ZDF remains partisan and serves the ruling ZANU-PF’s political agenda. The ZDF has deployed both coercive and peaceful approaches in dealing with the civilian population. During the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown, the military’s deployment, though presented as a public health measure, enabled intensified control and brutality. Soldiers enforced restrictions through checkpoints and patrols, resulting in numerous accusations of excessive force, abuse, and even killings of civilians for minor infractions. While the ZDF also undertook non-coercive roles like distributing supplies and providing medical support, the predominant image was one of intimidation. This militarized approach deepened public mistrust, highlighting the critical need for strengthened civilian oversight and accountability to prevent the military’s continued weaponization against its own citizens and restore legitimate civil-military relations.