Police warn against any attempt to undermine national security

THE police will vigorously defend any attempt to undermine national security in the election period as it called on Zimbabweans to heed President Emmerson Mnangagwa's peace calls during the period.

Addressing a media and election reporting training workshop here yesterday, the national police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said they called on the media and other stakeholders to play their role in promoting peace.

"The ZRP shall defend vigorously any attempts to undermine the national security of the country. It is important for us to realise that elections will come and go but we will continue to be Zimbabweans," she said.

"I'm happy that the President has set the tone for a peaceful election and when it is said at that apex then everyone should do likewise."
Snr Asst Comm Charamba said there won't be any sacred cows as the police carry out their mandate to ensure peace and stability.

"Let me assure that the ZRP will protect life and property without fear or favour and recently we arrested some prominent individuals, which shows our seriousness," she said.

Snr Asst Comm Charamba said there was a need for collaboration between the police, Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, the media and other stakeholders to ensure that there is a spread of messages of peace in the country.

On the part of the media she said the fourth estate plays a crucial role of disseminating information in a responsible manner that does not lead to unnecessary chaos.

"The relationship between the police and the media is like that of fish and water, we can't do without each other and it should be reciprocal," said Snr Asst Comm Charamba who was accompanied by the Officer Commanding Elections Snr Asst Comm Erasmus Makodza.

She said the police are the source of important information as it relates to the security of the country and the media has to disseminate that information in a responsible way.

Snr Asst Comm Charamba said while information at times may be of interest to the media, the police have an obligation to safeguard issues concerning national security.

Information dissemination, she said, is critical to social development and stability hence the need for the police and media to work together.

"We therefore expect the media to complement the police in spreading messages of peace and not messages of hate which usually characterises the way media disseminates information," she said.

"We are calling for responsible journalism as experience has shown that most subjective stories tend to distort facts and polarise communities along political lines. Biased reporting, peddling of hate speech is not only unethical but tantamount to inciting violence," she said.

Snr Asst Comm Charamba said the media also has a role in working with the police in publicising campaigns encouraging peaceful conduct during the campaign and election period.

She appealed to journalists to refer members of the public to the police to report cases of criminal nature.

The police national spokesperson said in 2008 there were cases of people approaching the media and not the police to report cases of political violence hence the media has a duty to direct them to law enforcement agents.

She said the police had engaged various media organisations towards the assurance of safety of journalists carrying out their duties.

During the workshop, various speakers including Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) chief executive officer Dr Tafataona Mahoso called for professional and ethical reporting.

The two day workshop was organised by Zec and the ZMC.