News / National
'Mnangagwa is panicking'
10 Mar 2023 at 19:54hrs | Views
Nelson Chamisa leader of the main opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) has fingered President Emmerson Mnangagwa in the ordering of junior officers to vote Zanu-PF at this year's elections.
The orders are being delivered by Chief Superintendents from ZRP's Staff College at internal training dubbed civic education where Zanu-PF officials are educating the cops on the party's ideologies.
Speaking at a press conference Thursday, Chamisa said Mnangagwa was panicking.
"I get reports every day from those who are serving in our uniformed forces that they are getting what is called civic education, a programme which is trying to teach those institutions party issues," said Chamisa.
"Zimbabwe is bigger than any political party. Our soldiers, police, and intelligence services are not supposed to be subjected to partisan propaganda. They are not supposed to serve a political party, they are national institutions, and we want to maintain their integrity.
"I know some actions by the police are not their fault. Their hands are tied, it is the work of my brother Emmerson Mnangagwa.
"A lot of people think acts of Zanu-PF are based on invisibility and them being indomitable; they are showing that they are on the back foot, they are panicking."
Zanu-PF recently launched a massive voter mobilisation campaign within the police force through what is termed-ideology training targeting the rank and file of the law enforcement agency.
Police officers are currently going under an internal training dubbed civic education where Zanu-PF officials are educating the cops on the party's ideologies, including pleading with them to vote for the ruling party.
Police sources say that they used to have similar training under the late former President Robert Mugabe's rule towards elections.
Documents seen by this publication show that police officers have been directed to attend the training.
The training starts at 8am ending at 4:30pm at police district headquarters across the country.
A high ranking police officer who spoke to the news crew on condition of anonymity said senior police officers from the Police Updating Centre were accompanying the Zanu-PF officials for the training.
Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed that the cops were undergoing the training but professed ignorance of Zanu-PFs involvement.
"I can confirm that the police are undergoing [civic education] training," Nyathi said.
"But as to the allegations [that Zanu-PF is facilitating], I am not aware."
This publication caught up with some officers who attended the training, who said they were being ordered to "know where your bread is buttered".
"During the training, there were police officers from the PUC and some party officials who told us generally about the need for us to vote for Zanu-PF," the officer said.
"They were emphasising the need for us security officers to defend the vote.
"We were told that the ruling party, which forms the government was thriving to improve our welfare and we had to bear that in mind as we cast our votes this year."
The orders are being delivered by Chief Superintendents from ZRP's Staff College at internal training dubbed civic education where Zanu-PF officials are educating the cops on the party's ideologies.
Speaking at a press conference Thursday, Chamisa said Mnangagwa was panicking.
"I get reports every day from those who are serving in our uniformed forces that they are getting what is called civic education, a programme which is trying to teach those institutions party issues," said Chamisa.
"Zimbabwe is bigger than any political party. Our soldiers, police, and intelligence services are not supposed to be subjected to partisan propaganda. They are not supposed to serve a political party, they are national institutions, and we want to maintain their integrity.
"I know some actions by the police are not their fault. Their hands are tied, it is the work of my brother Emmerson Mnangagwa.
"A lot of people think acts of Zanu-PF are based on invisibility and them being indomitable; they are showing that they are on the back foot, they are panicking."
Zanu-PF recently launched a massive voter mobilisation campaign within the police force through what is termed-ideology training targeting the rank and file of the law enforcement agency.
Police officers are currently going under an internal training dubbed civic education where Zanu-PF officials are educating the cops on the party's ideologies, including pleading with them to vote for the ruling party.
Police sources say that they used to have similar training under the late former President Robert Mugabe's rule towards elections.
Documents seen by this publication show that police officers have been directed to attend the training.
The training starts at 8am ending at 4:30pm at police district headquarters across the country.
A high ranking police officer who spoke to the news crew on condition of anonymity said senior police officers from the Police Updating Centre were accompanying the Zanu-PF officials for the training.
Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed that the cops were undergoing the training but professed ignorance of Zanu-PFs involvement.
"I can confirm that the police are undergoing [civic education] training," Nyathi said.
"But as to the allegations [that Zanu-PF is facilitating], I am not aware."
This publication caught up with some officers who attended the training, who said they were being ordered to "know where your bread is buttered".
"During the training, there were police officers from the PUC and some party officials who told us generally about the need for us to vote for Zanu-PF," the officer said.
"They were emphasising the need for us security officers to defend the vote.
"We were told that the ruling party, which forms the government was thriving to improve our welfare and we had to bear that in mind as we cast our votes this year."
Source - Agencies
