WATCH: Matanga bemoans ZRP uniform, plans overhaul

The Zimbabwe Republic Police boss, Commissioner General Godwin Matanga has expressed discomfort with officers' STU caps, describing them (the STU cap) as the Achilles heel on the force's intention to fully participate in modern peacekeeping discourse with confidence.

Speaking prior to inspection parade after briefing of the United Nations Peacekeeping Contingent on officers who will be leaving the country for South Sudan, Commissioner General Matanga advised his Deputy, Mind Elliott Ngirandi (Human Resources) and others who were present that there is need for an overhaul to the force's uniform, particularly, the caps which may be a shame for its membership in the peacekeeping mission arena and overall organisational repute.



"Ngirandi hona (Ngirandi see) ah ah (surprised) chinjayi hat iyo ayihwa hah haichaita (the type of hats are no longer suitable)," Commissioner General Matanga said.

"Imagine the world over, we are the only ones vanofamba nekushandisa maHats akadayi hazvichaite," Matanga said whilst pointing hats that were worn by the contingent of officers who were on parade in preparation to leave for peacekeeping mission in South Sudan.

During the briefing, Matanga said that it is saddening to note that there are still many societies where armed conflicts remain the order of the day.

"Let me hasten to point out that as dangerous as these duties are, we can never allow ourselves to relent; bearing in mind that fostering peace within and outside our borders is one of our core duties as members of the community of nations. I therefore urge you to conform to the regulations such as abiding to the curfew hours and above all, exercising extreme caution when executing your peacekeeping duties," Matanga said.

"To this end, let me therefore express my heartfelt appreciation for the selfless work our police officers have been doing, together with their colleagues from around the world in peacebuilding and protection of civilians in war-torn countries," Matanga remarks.

The ceremony was meant to bid farewell to Contingent 24 comprising of four males and one female destined for South Sudan who will be deployed on peacekeeping mission for a year's period. These include Chief Inspector Keven Sango (Chief Clerk PPU), Sergent Nicholas Chingwendere (Manicaland Provincial Headquarters), Sergent Terrence Mubemi (Marondera Rural), Sergent Tennyson Mdamburi (Epworth) and Sergent Constance Masuku (Harare Driving School).

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has in late yesteryear pleaded with Parliament to push for an upward review of its budget allocation, arguing the inadequate funding of the police force is crippling operations.

While appearing (last year then) before the parliamentary portfolio committee on Defence, Home Affairs, Veterans of Liberation Struggle and Security chaired by Beitbridge East MP, Albert Nguluvhe, police Deputy Commissioner-General Learn Ncube said the capability and image of the police require a lot of resources.

Ncube said the skills and the competencies of the police sometimes leave a lot to be desired due to inadequate resources, even for training police officers.

Police proposed a ZW$130 billion budget towards the skilling and training of police officers, but the ZRP got only 15% of its desired allocation.