Be professional, Tsvangirai tells police

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has called for tolerance and urged the police to respect the rule of law as the country prepares for a crucial constitution a referendum and watershed elections expected next year.

Addressing mourners at the burial ceremony of Chief Gwebu in Buhera, Sunday, Prime Minister Tsvangirai said the violence that has characterized Zimbabwe in the last decade should be a thing of the past.

"We must say never again shall brother kill brother because of political differences. It is primitive," said the Prime Minister.

He called on the police to be impartial and arrest all perpetrators of violence without favour. "The police must respect the rule of law. We cannot have a peaceful election if the police are not fair in their dealing with violence.

They must arrest all those guilty of perpetrating violence without fear or favour," Prime Minister Tsvangirai said.

Zimbabwe's security chiefs have in the past been accused of folding their hands while Zanu PF supporters attacked political opponents and human rights activists with impunity.

The security forces have been accused of masterminding gruesome murders in the last decade as state sponsored violence escalated. A road map towards free and fair elections includes reforms such as security sector re-alignment to weed out partisan behavior among the security establishments.

Addressing mourners at the Chief's burial, MP for Buhera West Constituency, Eric Matinenga, said the late chief had in the past been haunted out of his home by Zanu PF militia for being sympathetic to

other political parties.

"In 2008, Chief Gwebu fled his home because of political threats from some people gathered here with with us. They wanted to chase him away from his land because of political differences," said Matinenga.

"That should stop. Let us co-exist," he added.

Chief Gwebu died on Thursday and was interred at his homestead on Sunday

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