Prison officer addresses inmates in Zanu-PF regalia

A Binga prison officer was recently found addressing inmates while clad in Zanu-PF regalia, a parliamentary committee on Human Rights has revealed.

The two MDC formations in the inclusive government have been calling for security sector reforms arguing that the country's security chiefs were biased towards Zanu-PF.

Committee chairperson Misheck Marava told Senate on Tuesday that they were shocked to find the prison officer in Zanu-PF regalia instead of his green uniform.

"We were disappointed to see an officer whom we found at Binga prison addressing inmates while Zanu-PF wearing party regalia. We asked the prison officer to leave the facility," said Marava.

"We later learnt that the overzealous police officer was not even on duty that day but had come to assist."

Recently, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai was locked in a bitter wrangle with President Robert Mugabe over the renewal of police commissioner general Augustine Chihuri's contract which expired last December.

Tsvangirai and leader of the other MDC formation, Welshman Ncube were opposed to extending Chihuri's term of office as the police chief had publicly declared his alliance to Zanu-PF.

Prisons boss Paradzai Zimondi, Army general Constantine Chiwenga and Spy agency boss Happyton Bonyongwe are all linked to Zanu-PF.