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Mnangagwa's govt pour cold water on security sector reforms
13 Aug 2019 at 07:17hrs | Views
GOVERNMENT has poured cold water on calls to reform the security sector, saying the system was working very well and desires no reforms.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Heroes Day commemorations yesterday, Defence and War Veterans deputy minister Victor Matemadanda ruled out security sector reforms.
"Why do we reform a thing that is OK? Why do we reform a security force that is able to fulfil its mandate? Why should people want that security sector to be reformed? Remember, this security sector is composed (of) people who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of this country and no one has a moral obligation to say people who liberated this country should not protect it," he said.
Security sector reforms are, however, at the core of critical reforms that the government, under President Emmerson Mnangagwa, has committed to implement.
After the military ousted President Robert Mugabe from power, the call for the reforms grew louder.
The military has become a major power broker amid allegations that they have tentacles in electoral management and critical institutions.
The former South African President Kgalema Motlanthe-led commission of inquiry into the August 1, 2018 shootings also recommended that government looks into the role of the military in the killing of innocent civilians.
Matemadanda said the shooting was unfortunate, but insisted it was an MDC problem.
"That is a very unfortunate situation well-orchestrated by the perpetrators of violence, who would have wanted to have such a situation so that Zimbabwe is portrayed as a country that does not respect human life … it's unfortunate that the occurrence of August happened, but no one would have wanted it," he said.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Heroes Day commemorations yesterday, Defence and War Veterans deputy minister Victor Matemadanda ruled out security sector reforms.
"Why do we reform a thing that is OK? Why do we reform a security force that is able to fulfil its mandate? Why should people want that security sector to be reformed? Remember, this security sector is composed (of) people who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of this country and no one has a moral obligation to say people who liberated this country should not protect it," he said.
Security sector reforms are, however, at the core of critical reforms that the government, under President Emmerson Mnangagwa, has committed to implement.
The military has become a major power broker amid allegations that they have tentacles in electoral management and critical institutions.
The former South African President Kgalema Motlanthe-led commission of inquiry into the August 1, 2018 shootings also recommended that government looks into the role of the military in the killing of innocent civilians.
Matemadanda said the shooting was unfortunate, but insisted it was an MDC problem.
"That is a very unfortunate situation well-orchestrated by the perpetrators of violence, who would have wanted to have such a situation so that Zimbabwe is portrayed as a country that does not respect human life … it's unfortunate that the occurrence of August happened, but no one would have wanted it," he said.
Source - newsday
