Police account for 77% of security complaints

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) accounted for 77 percent of all complaints received against security services in 2025, emerging as the primary focus of public grievances recorded by the Zimbabwe Independent Complaints Commission (ZICC).

According to the commission's 2025 Annual Report, 37 of the 48 complaints received during the year were directed against the police, reflecting the force's extensive interaction with members of the public.

The report, presented by retired judge Justice Webster Nicholas Chinamora, said the high proportion of complaints did not necessarily mean that police misconduct was disproportionately widespread, but highlighted the need to strengthen professionalism and rights-based policing.

The commission described 2025 as the beginning of a new era of civilian oversight of the security sector.

"The 77 percent of complaints directed against the ZRP directly reflects the police force's extensive public interface — it is the security agency most encountered by ordinary citizens daily," the report said.

The commission said the figures nevertheless underscored the importance of building public confidence in policing and ensuring that interactions between officers and citizens are conducted in accordance with constitutional rights.

At the same time, the ZRP raised concerns over its own operating environment during provincial engagements with the commission in September 2025.

Police command teams cited severe resource constraints, including inadequate detention facilities, transport and modern policing equipment.

The report said initial concerns within the police that the commission's oversight role could amount to a "witch-hunt" had gradually subsided, with the force increasingly accepting civilian oversight as a mechanism for rebuilding public trust.

ZICC inspections also found that the statutory 48-hour detention limit was largely being observed.

The commission said it had observed a strategic emphasis within the police on eliminating practices associated with past brutality.

However, police officials also pointed to legal shortcomings that they believe undermine effective law enforcement, including fines they considered insufficiently deterrent.

The ZICC said it would seek to support the police in addressing some of their institutional challenges, including advocating before Parliament for resources to improve police facilities and detention infrastructure.

Another notable development was a partnership between the ZRP and Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) aimed at improving officers' ability to communicate with and assist people living with disabilities.

The initiative includes training in sign-language communication and the appropriate handling of persons with disabilities.

The commission described the programme as a proactive intervention aimed at addressing weaknesses in security-sector service delivery before they develop into formal complaints.

While ZICC praised the high level of cooperation from the police command, the dominance of ZRP-related complaints remains a significant indicator of the challenges facing the country's law enforcement system.

The commission's findings suggest that meaningful reform will require not only stronger accountability for individual officers, but also investment in police infrastructure, training, equipment and institutional capacity.