Police should draw lessons from last week’s disturbances
which claimed two lives in Harare and implement acceptable ways of handling
difficult situations, Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Dr Obert
Mpofu has said.
Addressing senior police officers in Harare yesterday, Dr Mpofu
said political parties which thrive on chaos would have no room for mischief
during the forthcoming harmonised elections.
He said Government would continue monitoring the police’s
actions to see if they were responsive to the aspirations of the people.
Yesterday’s meeting was meant to review policing
initiatives and progress registered in the last two months.
“Regardless of the circumstances, there should be a better
and acceptable way of handling even the most difficult situations,” Dr Mpofu said.
“I urge you to draw life lessons from that regrettable
incident. When you engage the public bear in mind the legal doctrine that says
‘It is better that 10 guilty persons escape than one innocent person suffers.”
He added: “The police derives its mandate from the people.
The police comes from the society, from society you belong and you shall
return. Never, therefore, should your deeds be at cross purposes with the laws,
values and aspirations of the society. When called upon to investigate crime,
make sure you investigate crime not people.”
Dr Mpofu said in enforcing the law, there should be
“greater accountability on the part of the police”.
“While society expects law enforcement agents to match
criminals blow for blow, in the same measure they also assume they will be
protected from excesses of the police as they execute their routine duties,” he
said.
Dr Mpofu said the police would not stand by while misguided
elements inconvenienced the citizenry.
“Some leaders or political parties have survived on an
environment that is not peaceful,” he said. “The position of maintaining peace
that the President has pronounced may not be favourable to them and they will
do everything within their power to create chaos and confusion so that they
continue benefiting.
“If our police officers intervene it becomes an issue of
lack of peace and stability. We will do everything to ensure such things won’t
happen. I have assured stakeholders including diplomats, Zimbabwe Electoral
Commission chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba and United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) country representative Mr Bishow Pajuli that
elections will proceed freely and peacefully.”
Dr Mpofu gave separatist group Mthwakazi Republic Party
(MRP) as an example of organisations trying to foment chaos in the country.
The group this week disrupted a National Peace and
Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) in Lupane.
“It is surprising that meetings have been disrupted by an
organised group which was calling for that Commission to be in place,” said Dr
Mpofu.
He warned politicians against interfering with police
operations.
Police Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga said some police
stations were being downsized, while other functions would be merged.
“The recent massive transfers from depots are examples to
fulfil this desire,” he said. “The Zimbabwe Republic Police shall, as an
ongoing initiative, analyse current establishments within its structure to
identify redundant stations and sections or those whose functions are
operationally duplicative of others.
“Soon, we shall be launching the Zimbabwe Republic Police
patrol unit in Harare Central and Chitungwiza districts. The purpose of the
patrol unit is to ensure there are police officers deployed round the clock on
crime prevention duties. The patrol unit will be rolled out to all urban areas
and cities.”
Dr Mpofu said the police would heighten intelligence-led
policing mechanisms to ensure peace before, during and after the elections.
Herald
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