Opinion / Columnist
The Commissioner of Police did good to Zimbabwe
26 Dec 2017 at 09:49hrs | Views
The preamble of the Police Act includes, as one of its objectives,'...service to the community and nation.' As a concerned citizen of Zimbabwe, l have high regards for law enforcement agencies
and their personnel, who daily serve our communities and frequently lay their lives on 'the line-in the highest regard'. 'The ZRP service charter binds the force with the general populace, in pursuit of excellency.
Journalists usually say, 'The pen is mightier than the sword'. It goes without saying it that, the whole system is now corrupt to the core. In terms of traffic police, it is now clear that their main focus is collecting money. Nothing absolves Comm Gen Chihuri from this mess, and his continued presence in the force would go against public demand for him to go. His presence would mark an official confirmation that we have a corrupt police force in Zimbabwe.
Still, within the police ranks, there are some other junior officers who are innocent and have a strong sense of public service that overcomes all the troubles and temptations they face.
Right now, and even before, there have been cases of junior cops suing the Comm General, where they complained that they are forced to fund his projects via their salary deductions. One Constable, name withheld, according to media reports, attached to ZPP Support Unit, stationed at Fairbridge Armoury, filed an Application at Bulawayo High Court, citing the then Home Affairs Minister Chombo, Chihuri, the Officer Commanding ZPP Support Unit, Senior Assistant Comm Angeline Guvamombe as respondents.
Further, Chihuri was rumoured that he supported the 'dark G40' agenda. There is no smoke without fire. Remember, Saviour Kasukuwere and Chihuri all come from Mt Darwin. Of late, Chihuri has been linked and fingered as the one who propped the G40 cabal, though now history, which was fronted by Saviour Kasukuwere, his homeboy.
It is within public knowledge that, the ZRP once beat war veterans in Harare when they wanted to stage a demonstration, denying them permission to hold a peaceful public gathering, while his G40 companions were allowed to do as they wished. What sort of selectivity in applies law is this? Hundreds of war vets wanted to march in solidarity with the then embattled Vice President, Cde Mnangagwa and then became victims of police brutality. They were violently dispersed with teargas and water cannons. This disrupted their call to their members from all over the country for an emergency meeting to discuss the ongoing Zanu Pf factional fights (of that time), posing serious national security threats in the process.
Comm Gen Chihuri had incessantly and frivolously used his position to meddle in church politics in the country. He was involved in the Bishopgate in the Anglican church, pitting Kunonga and Gandiwa. These two bishops resorted to appealing to the then President,Cde R.G Mugabe to enforce the rule of law and end police support for the former Harare Bishop, Kunonga. Dr Kunongas supporters had seized the church with the support of members of the ZRP and driven out Anglicans loyal to the church. The police were reported to take sides, when they are the ones who should not be favour any side.
On a similar note, following Mudzidzi Wimbos prophecy about Cde Mnangagwa needing some help to take over the presidency, the media gave reports, with one Shepherd Chingwena, Mudzidzi Wimbo's spokesperson, accusing the Comm Gen of causing chaos in the Johane Masowe vadzidzi vaJesu sect. Comm Chihuri is related to Prophet Wimbo.
A leaked dosier showed that popular church leader, Walter Magaya of PHD Ministries, Jonathan Moyo and Saviour Kasukuwere, were among the high profile beneficiaries of land. Following this outburst, there was public speculation that these people would be arrested and investigated, but nothing materialised. The police resorted to hunting down for small and low profile land barons in in far as rural Seke and Norton.People like Cde Dzapasi were under fired from Shadreck Mashayamombe, who swore that as long as you keep supporting Cde Mnangagwa, you will be homeless for the whole of his life and to that effect his home was demolished and he is homeless.
In comments that attracted huge cheers from the thousands that gathered at the national shrine, for the burial of Cdes Maud Muzenda and George Rutanhire, former head of state and governnent, Cde Mugabe said spikes posed a danger to the public. In contrast to the timely call, former Home Affairs Minister at the time, Ignatious Chombo, gave the police a green light when he said the police would only use spikes in exceptional situations, leaving questions as to which situations are exceptional to warrant the use of spikes. What an inherent clash when the Comm General failed to stand for the public motorists? Use of spikes to deflate tyres of moving passenger vehicles means the police has no duty of care towards livelihood.
It is mind boggling that at times you would see a police officer armed with a gun at roadblocks. Guns must only be carried when there are reasonable grounds that the suspect could be a dangerous criminal. To drive my points home, section 38 of Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act,Chapter IV, criminalises throwing instruments such as spikes on motor vehicles. Heavy police presents on our highway was highly criticized as it scare away investors and most motorists are bypassing Zimbabwe enroute to DRC,Angola, Tanzania. They prefer going through Botswana and the country is losing millions of dollars in revenue. Zimbabwe provides the shortest link from South Africa across SADC. The Comm Gen was quoted defending the police's high presents most of the times as if he was living in Mars. The former Tourism Minister tried to address the issue and even the former president Cde Mugabe, but the Comm Gen was adamant.
"Mugabe must go" protests came at the very right time, because they are the ones that exposed the police. The protests were conducted in the absence of police from the streets, I am sure they boycotted, and the protests went on very peacefully, proving that Zimbabweans are capable of engaging in peaceful demonstrations. Police are urged to swap provocative and heavy-handedness tactics in maintaining law and order, when dealing with the public, to methods used by the military on November 2017, where soldiers were seen to be, and demonstrated they were friends of citizens. Thus, the process revealed that the violent parties in protests are actually the police, getting all orders from Chihuri.
Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri's booing and humiliation by the public, getting instructions from nobody, which reached its maximum when he took oath of loyalty to the new president, at the National Sports stadium, as people vented their anger and chanted,'Chihuri must go, Chihuri must go, Chihuri must go', while others rolled their hands to signal a substitution, a sign that is normally used in football. Chihuri rightly deserved the disrespect and scorn because he failed to do his duties in a professional manner. The atmosphere speaks for itself; he should sense what it means and just resign to protect his dignity. In my own opinion I think the police were supposed to be represented on the inaugural ceremony. Events like the inaugural ceremony, normally goes the same way as the heroes day celebration where a certain number of police officers march in solidarity with Defence Force Members.
He failed to act when his fellow G40 members were busy looting national resources; he failed to maintain checks at his wife, who fleeced compliant police officers of their meager salaries through Kuyedza club subscriptions where junior officers were forced to donate more than $50 for a metre of cloth, et cetera. Chihuri is a failure. He allowed former Vice President and G40 faithful, Phelekezela Mphoko, to order release of criminals like Jonathan Moyo from lawful police custody when he was supposed to foresee the real risk and possibility that accused person was likely to be convicted as there was overwhelming evidence..
Last, but not least, l noted with great concern, the absence of police from national events. Instead, the work that was supposed to be done by the police ended up being done by the military. Worst, Chihuri attempted to have our smart and learned army chief (according to reports), General Chiwenga arrested on his return from China.
The public is not demanding much from the new president and Commander-In Chief, Cde Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, they only want the whole ZRP hierarchy dissolved, for they feel they may sabotage the new Zimbabwe, new era, new dispensation. Period!!!!!!!!
Journalists usually say, 'The pen is mightier than the sword'. It goes without saying it that, the whole system is now corrupt to the core. In terms of traffic police, it is now clear that their main focus is collecting money. Nothing absolves Comm Gen Chihuri from this mess, and his continued presence in the force would go against public demand for him to go. His presence would mark an official confirmation that we have a corrupt police force in Zimbabwe.
Still, within the police ranks, there are some other junior officers who are innocent and have a strong sense of public service that overcomes all the troubles and temptations they face.
Right now, and even before, there have been cases of junior cops suing the Comm General, where they complained that they are forced to fund his projects via their salary deductions. One Constable, name withheld, according to media reports, attached to ZPP Support Unit, stationed at Fairbridge Armoury, filed an Application at Bulawayo High Court, citing the then Home Affairs Minister Chombo, Chihuri, the Officer Commanding ZPP Support Unit, Senior Assistant Comm Angeline Guvamombe as respondents.
Further, Chihuri was rumoured that he supported the 'dark G40' agenda. There is no smoke without fire. Remember, Saviour Kasukuwere and Chihuri all come from Mt Darwin. Of late, Chihuri has been linked and fingered as the one who propped the G40 cabal, though now history, which was fronted by Saviour Kasukuwere, his homeboy.
It is within public knowledge that, the ZRP once beat war veterans in Harare when they wanted to stage a demonstration, denying them permission to hold a peaceful public gathering, while his G40 companions were allowed to do as they wished. What sort of selectivity in applies law is this? Hundreds of war vets wanted to march in solidarity with the then embattled Vice President, Cde Mnangagwa and then became victims of police brutality. They were violently dispersed with teargas and water cannons. This disrupted their call to their members from all over the country for an emergency meeting to discuss the ongoing Zanu Pf factional fights (of that time), posing serious national security threats in the process.
Comm Gen Chihuri had incessantly and frivolously used his position to meddle in church politics in the country. He was involved in the Bishopgate in the Anglican church, pitting Kunonga and Gandiwa. These two bishops resorted to appealing to the then President,Cde R.G Mugabe to enforce the rule of law and end police support for the former Harare Bishop, Kunonga. Dr Kunongas supporters had seized the church with the support of members of the ZRP and driven out Anglicans loyal to the church. The police were reported to take sides, when they are the ones who should not be favour any side.
On a similar note, following Mudzidzi Wimbos prophecy about Cde Mnangagwa needing some help to take over the presidency, the media gave reports, with one Shepherd Chingwena, Mudzidzi Wimbo's spokesperson, accusing the Comm Gen of causing chaos in the Johane Masowe vadzidzi vaJesu sect. Comm Chihuri is related to Prophet Wimbo.
In comments that attracted huge cheers from the thousands that gathered at the national shrine, for the burial of Cdes Maud Muzenda and George Rutanhire, former head of state and governnent, Cde Mugabe said spikes posed a danger to the public. In contrast to the timely call, former Home Affairs Minister at the time, Ignatious Chombo, gave the police a green light when he said the police would only use spikes in exceptional situations, leaving questions as to which situations are exceptional to warrant the use of spikes. What an inherent clash when the Comm General failed to stand for the public motorists? Use of spikes to deflate tyres of moving passenger vehicles means the police has no duty of care towards livelihood.
It is mind boggling that at times you would see a police officer armed with a gun at roadblocks. Guns must only be carried when there are reasonable grounds that the suspect could be a dangerous criminal. To drive my points home, section 38 of Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act,Chapter IV, criminalises throwing instruments such as spikes on motor vehicles. Heavy police presents on our highway was highly criticized as it scare away investors and most motorists are bypassing Zimbabwe enroute to DRC,Angola, Tanzania. They prefer going through Botswana and the country is losing millions of dollars in revenue. Zimbabwe provides the shortest link from South Africa across SADC. The Comm Gen was quoted defending the police's high presents most of the times as if he was living in Mars. The former Tourism Minister tried to address the issue and even the former president Cde Mugabe, but the Comm Gen was adamant.
"Mugabe must go" protests came at the very right time, because they are the ones that exposed the police. The protests were conducted in the absence of police from the streets, I am sure they boycotted, and the protests went on very peacefully, proving that Zimbabweans are capable of engaging in peaceful demonstrations. Police are urged to swap provocative and heavy-handedness tactics in maintaining law and order, when dealing with the public, to methods used by the military on November 2017, where soldiers were seen to be, and demonstrated they were friends of citizens. Thus, the process revealed that the violent parties in protests are actually the police, getting all orders from Chihuri.
Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri's booing and humiliation by the public, getting instructions from nobody, which reached its maximum when he took oath of loyalty to the new president, at the National Sports stadium, as people vented their anger and chanted,'Chihuri must go, Chihuri must go, Chihuri must go', while others rolled their hands to signal a substitution, a sign that is normally used in football. Chihuri rightly deserved the disrespect and scorn because he failed to do his duties in a professional manner. The atmosphere speaks for itself; he should sense what it means and just resign to protect his dignity. In my own opinion I think the police were supposed to be represented on the inaugural ceremony. Events like the inaugural ceremony, normally goes the same way as the heroes day celebration where a certain number of police officers march in solidarity with Defence Force Members.
He failed to act when his fellow G40 members were busy looting national resources; he failed to maintain checks at his wife, who fleeced compliant police officers of their meager salaries through Kuyedza club subscriptions where junior officers were forced to donate more than $50 for a metre of cloth, et cetera. Chihuri is a failure. He allowed former Vice President and G40 faithful, Phelekezela Mphoko, to order release of criminals like Jonathan Moyo from lawful police custody when he was supposed to foresee the real risk and possibility that accused person was likely to be convicted as there was overwhelming evidence..
Last, but not least, l noted with great concern, the absence of police from national events. Instead, the work that was supposed to be done by the police ended up being done by the military. Worst, Chihuri attempted to have our smart and learned army chief (according to reports), General Chiwenga arrested on his return from China.
The public is not demanding much from the new president and Commander-In Chief, Cde Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, they only want the whole ZRP hierarchy dissolved, for they feel they may sabotage the new Zimbabwe, new era, new dispensation. Period!!!!!!!!
Source - Prof Luke Mbune Chakaza
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