Officials tarnishing ED's name in Midlands, it is never in ED's service

With the birth of the New dispensation conduct of public and government officials, in the mining sector has been corrupt pathetic and disgusting. the offence of Abuse of Public Office is seeing a renaissance in the Midlands and all these are committed in the good name of HIs Excellence. In scenes graduated by the actions of Mandimbandimba error, the gold industry in the Midlands has seen corrupt senior officials soiling the name of the president in a serious smelling way.

In a serious breach of decency, officials have created thugs and gangsters to terrorise the gold miners in Kwekwe Gweru and all midlands. Senior party and government officials are tripping each other in the name of the president to go and extort people. Not in His Excellence's name. Kwekwe has been gripped by the fear of criminals acting in the name of the president to enrich their sick minds and fat pockets.

Ensuring the integrity and lawful conduct of public officers such as police, teachers and politicians is integral to public interest given the trust we place in them. But the way senior officers are doing is pathetic and deeply depressing. It puts the name of the president in bad shape.

Disciplinary frameworks must be set up to ensure public officials abide by their institutions' code of ethics and ordinary standards expected of them. Where these codes are breached, the person is liable to appropriate internal disciplinary action which may include loss of income, a change in job role, compulsory attendance at counselling or training courses and even termination of employment. However, in recent times there has been an increase in persons not facing disciplinary action for alleged improper conduct, and criminal charges in the form of the offence of Abuse of Public Office. This is mostly because the offenders take refugee in the name of the president.

Most mines in the Midlands have been taken by the thugs who demand a 30% of all products from the mine. They have the guys to say that the president is in it. This has destroyed the good name of the head of state.

Abuse of public office is a serious and complex criminal offence which requires experienced legal advice from the early stages. It becomes worse where the criminals wrap themselves in the strength of the sitting president.

These people commit aggravated offences exposing the name of the president to disrepute. This is not justified where the accused person breached a position of authority. They abuse the goodness of the president and plunge the whole system to disrepute. Stealing in the name of the president is horrible and indeed unforgivable.

The first element the prosecution must prove is that you were a public officer. In most cases, this will be obvious, but it is something the politicians never check. If your employment arrangement with the State is unusual, it might be that you are not a "Public Officer. But most of these are party official who overrides the civil servants. Most of them tell the police that they have been sent by the president. As a result, no one is arrested. The common people are tormented in the name of the president.

A very bad relationship between the people and the president is being created by these greedy gluttons. Action must be taken and this corruption must be exposed. However, the actions of these thugs give rise to a common law offence as codified. But because they abuse the name of the president they get away with it.

It is clear that the conduct which they say falls within the definition of abuse of public office is never prosecuted. The cry of the people should be heard.

There is a lot of proof that the conduct and intention of these thugs were improper. It is only the courage and will to arrest them which is missing.

The term "acted improperly" has a special legal meaning. It is a question of fact which requires the court to assess objective, community standards to determine whether the proposition is established. In essence, the court will consider the conduct against a public standard expected of public officers in the same position as them. It is easy to find that these thugs are acting in full knowledge knowing that their conduct was improper or that they are being reckless as to the result. This carefree attitude destroys the party and the legacy of the president.

Not only does this require an assessment of the standards of the community and what is reasonably expected of a public officer, but the conduct must be serious enough to justify a criminal sanction. Taking people's money taxing the miners pushing away transport operators taking by force other miners proceeds is evil and must never have a position in today's politics. Politics of extortion is being spread all over and it is now toxic.

For ZANU PF to be the people's party as it has always been these top party officials who use the name of the president for their benefit must be weeded out.

The backlash of their actions is seen in the losses the party had in Kwekwe. We can not be silent for long. We shall continue being a people-oriented party. The corrupt ones pretending to be from and of the president must be removed.

Vazet2000@yahoo.co.uk