News / Press Release
Chiwenga must just shut up
27 Jun 2017 at 12:19hrs | Views
The People's Democratic Party is irked by Chiwenga's incessant interference with civilian processes in the country, instead of focusing on the core business of the Defence Forces outlined in Section 212 of the National Constitution.
"The function of the Defence Forces is to protect Zimbabwe, its people, its national Security and interests and its territorial integrity and to uphold this Constitution."
Many times, Chiwenga utters political and partisan words against the dictates of the constitution. He frequents ZANUPF rallies, at one point he was referred to by Mnangagwa as a Commissar of ZANUPF. We find this despicable and unacceptable.
In March of 2008 Chiwenga said "elections are coming and the army will not support or salute sell-outs and agents of the West before, during and after the presidential elections."
After Mugabe's loss in this election state sponsored violence erupted, many people lost their lives, homes were burnt down and thousands of families were displaced. Chiwenga seems not to repent from his recklessness.
In August of 2016 Chiwenga also took a reckless stance attacking activists who were exercising their right enshrined in Section 59 of the Constitution. The right to peacefully demonstrate and petition.
During the period many activists were abducted, tortured and injected with an unknown substance. In Bulawayo the police teargased innocent protestors resulting in the death of a child in a nearby house caused by the harmful smoke.
Security forces that disrespect the laws they are supposed to uphold are the major threat to the stability of our country.
During the same month, Chiwenga also cleared revealed not only his partisan stance but his factional inclination when he said "The military commanders felt we must flex our muscles and tell these G40 that we are watching and we will not tolerate nonsense."
While we take no interest in the attack on G40 or Lacoste we are concerned by military men remunerated on tax payer's money but disrespecting civilian privileges.
Early this year, Chiwenga made serious threats against war veterans who expressed their displeasure with the government's failure to cater for their welfare.
The PDP notes that this has stopped being just a pattern but has slowly been a culture which Chiwenga believes is normal.
Yesterday Chiwenga again invited himself in the Command Agriculture debate threatening Ministers who are against the program for several reasons.
Firstly Chiwenga is offside; he argues that whatever Mugabe pronounces at a rally whether in Mutare or Marondera cannot be a wrong program. Such kind of analysis is not only dangerous but depicts the highest level of living a distorted reality.
Mugabe has made infinite wrong decisions; the balance sheet is there for everyone to see. It is a legacy of poverty, unemployment, a chocking economy, a crippling cash crisis, potholes, cholera and threats to introduce goats as legal tender.
Secondly Chiwenga is a politician who must stop hiding in the army uniform; political practitioners do not belong at KG6 or the Defence House. He must come out in the open and get some space at the Jongwe building.
He is in violation of Section 208 of the Constitution which states that Neither the security services nor any of their members may, in the exercise of their functions, act in a partisan manner; further the interests of any political party or cause; prejudice the lawful interests of any political party or cause; or violate the fundamental rights or freedoms of any person.
The law further highlights that members of the security services must not be active members or office-bearers of any political party or organisation.
We also view his utterances as a violation of 208(3) which highlights that the forces must not be involved in the running of civilian institutions, Chiwenga has overstretched his reach, and he must just stop.
Suffice to say that Chiwenga is now way past the age of 60, by now he must have retired .If he had taken the option to be a private citizen, Chiwenga would have been free to pursue a partisan agenda or even a factional one. Using state apparatus to threaten Zimbabweans is unacceptable must be condemned.
Together Another Zimbabwe is Possible
"The function of the Defence Forces is to protect Zimbabwe, its people, its national Security and interests and its territorial integrity and to uphold this Constitution."
Many times, Chiwenga utters political and partisan words against the dictates of the constitution. He frequents ZANUPF rallies, at one point he was referred to by Mnangagwa as a Commissar of ZANUPF. We find this despicable and unacceptable.
In March of 2008 Chiwenga said "elections are coming and the army will not support or salute sell-outs and agents of the West before, during and after the presidential elections."
After Mugabe's loss in this election state sponsored violence erupted, many people lost their lives, homes were burnt down and thousands of families were displaced. Chiwenga seems not to repent from his recklessness.
In August of 2016 Chiwenga also took a reckless stance attacking activists who were exercising their right enshrined in Section 59 of the Constitution. The right to peacefully demonstrate and petition.
During the period many activists were abducted, tortured and injected with an unknown substance. In Bulawayo the police teargased innocent protestors resulting in the death of a child in a nearby house caused by the harmful smoke.
Security forces that disrespect the laws they are supposed to uphold are the major threat to the stability of our country.
During the same month, Chiwenga also cleared revealed not only his partisan stance but his factional inclination when he said "The military commanders felt we must flex our muscles and tell these G40 that we are watching and we will not tolerate nonsense."
While we take no interest in the attack on G40 or Lacoste we are concerned by military men remunerated on tax payer's money but disrespecting civilian privileges.
The PDP notes that this has stopped being just a pattern but has slowly been a culture which Chiwenga believes is normal.
Yesterday Chiwenga again invited himself in the Command Agriculture debate threatening Ministers who are against the program for several reasons.
Firstly Chiwenga is offside; he argues that whatever Mugabe pronounces at a rally whether in Mutare or Marondera cannot be a wrong program. Such kind of analysis is not only dangerous but depicts the highest level of living a distorted reality.
Mugabe has made infinite wrong decisions; the balance sheet is there for everyone to see. It is a legacy of poverty, unemployment, a chocking economy, a crippling cash crisis, potholes, cholera and threats to introduce goats as legal tender.
Secondly Chiwenga is a politician who must stop hiding in the army uniform; political practitioners do not belong at KG6 or the Defence House. He must come out in the open and get some space at the Jongwe building.
He is in violation of Section 208 of the Constitution which states that Neither the security services nor any of their members may, in the exercise of their functions, act in a partisan manner; further the interests of any political party or cause; prejudice the lawful interests of any political party or cause; or violate the fundamental rights or freedoms of any person.
The law further highlights that members of the security services must not be active members or office-bearers of any political party or organisation.
We also view his utterances as a violation of 208(3) which highlights that the forces must not be involved in the running of civilian institutions, Chiwenga has overstretched his reach, and he must just stop.
Suffice to say that Chiwenga is now way past the age of 60, by now he must have retired .If he had taken the option to be a private citizen, Chiwenga would have been free to pursue a partisan agenda or even a factional one. Using state apparatus to threaten Zimbabweans is unacceptable must be condemned.
Together Another Zimbabwe is Possible
Source - PDP Communications
