Opinion / Columnist
Zimbabwe army commanders urged to deal with rogue soldiers
31 Dec 2021 at 07:29hrs | Views
SERVICE chiefs must urgently find effective ways to end the rampant armed robberies and other criminal activities involving uniformed forces, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) President Paddington Japajapa has said.
In a statement, Japajapa urged the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) Commander Phillip Valerio Sibanda, Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) Commander Lieutenant General David Sigauke, and the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga to introduce strict disciplinary measures to curb the unwarranted indiscipline in the security forces.
"CSOs are calling upon the government of Zimbabwe to urgently make security service sector reforms, otherwise Zimbabwe shall continue to be one of the most dangerous places to live in," Japajapa said.
"Reorient and reintroduce strict disciplinary measures to all serving soldiers and police officers. Many officers in the ZNA and ZRP have become a security risk to the nation's citizenry. Instead of citizens feeling confident and comfortable to co-exist with ex and serving members of the security forces, the opposite is now happening," Japajapa said.
Japajapa said the recent armed robbery case in Chadcombe, Harare which ended up with three of the five armed robbers being gunned down by retired police detective Joseph Nemaisa was an example of the prevalence of bad apples within the police force and army.
The Chadcombe armed robbery case involved three serving members of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, including one who was on duty.
"Imagine, soldiers who are on duty finding spare time to go and rob residents of their hard-earned cash and other valuable goods, it shows how discipline and close supervision is lacking in the police force and the army hierarchy."
Japajapa, a former liberation war detainee and war collaborator, accused the security service bosses of failing to devise ways of dealing with such cases.
"This is a sign of failure to devise the latest intelligence information tactics by the security chiefs. Defence minister Oppah Muchinguri must organize an urgent strategic security sector meeting to deal with the situation which has gone out of hand."
"Instead of channeling huge government resources towards planning on how to destroy Nelson Chamisa,s MDC Alliance opposition political party, Emmerson Mnangagwa,s regime must make a paradigm shift in terms of safeguarding the lives citizens," he said.
In a statement, Japajapa urged the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) Commander Phillip Valerio Sibanda, Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) Commander Lieutenant General David Sigauke, and the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga to introduce strict disciplinary measures to curb the unwarranted indiscipline in the security forces.
"CSOs are calling upon the government of Zimbabwe to urgently make security service sector reforms, otherwise Zimbabwe shall continue to be one of the most dangerous places to live in," Japajapa said.
"Reorient and reintroduce strict disciplinary measures to all serving soldiers and police officers. Many officers in the ZNA and ZRP have become a security risk to the nation's citizenry. Instead of citizens feeling confident and comfortable to co-exist with ex and serving members of the security forces, the opposite is now happening," Japajapa said.
Japajapa said the recent armed robbery case in Chadcombe, Harare which ended up with three of the five armed robbers being gunned down by retired police detective Joseph Nemaisa was an example of the prevalence of bad apples within the police force and army.
"Imagine, soldiers who are on duty finding spare time to go and rob residents of their hard-earned cash and other valuable goods, it shows how discipline and close supervision is lacking in the police force and the army hierarchy."
Japajapa, a former liberation war detainee and war collaborator, accused the security service bosses of failing to devise ways of dealing with such cases.
"This is a sign of failure to devise the latest intelligence information tactics by the security chiefs. Defence minister Oppah Muchinguri must organize an urgent strategic security sector meeting to deal with the situation which has gone out of hand."
"Instead of channeling huge government resources towards planning on how to destroy Nelson Chamisa,s MDC Alliance opposition political party, Emmerson Mnangagwa,s regime must make a paradigm shift in terms of safeguarding the lives citizens," he said.
Source - NewZimbabwe
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