Police officers attending training ahead of this year’s elections are being indoctrinated to vote for President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s ruling Zanu PF and to cripple campaigns by the Nelson Chamisa-led Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), it has been revealed.
This publication first revealed that police officers were
undergoing what has been termed “internal civic education training” in
preparation for the elections later this year and that trainers have been drawn
from Zanu PF structures.
The trainings are being held at provincial level and The
Standard has obtained audio recordings of the Mashonaland East province
sessions where police officers were singing Zanu PF songs and chanting slogans.
Police officers that attended the training said they were
told to vote for Zanu PF in the forthcoming polls and make it difficult for CCC
to campaign by restricting their events.
“Generally, the training was about how we should conduct
ourselves to ensure that victory in this year’s election does not go into wrong
hands,” a police officer told The Standard after the training on Tuesday.
“They said we should exercise our patriotism by ensuring
that we do not vote for any other party except Zanu PF.
“We were told not to
let our guard down and ensure that the sell-out opposition parties do not have
freedoms to advance the agendas of the West in the name of political
campaigns.”
Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi
said: “I will check with trainers on Monday.”
Zanu PF commissar Mike Bimha professed ignorance about the
training of police officers.
“What I know is that we are currently training our
structures, which we have been doing all along and these include the youth league, the war veterans’ league,
the women’s league,” Bimha said.
“I am not aware of
the police training or any other civil servants.
“The Home Affairs minister is better placed to respond on
that.”
Homes Affairs minister Kazembe Kazembe was not picking
calls when The Standard tried to seek a comment.
His deputy Ruth Maboyi referred questions to Kazembe.
“You can contact the minister on that,” Maboyi said. “As
for me I have no comment.”
CCC accuses the police of effectively banning its
activities by blocking its rallies and arresting its officials.
Last weekend, police arrested 26 CCC members including two
legislators for holding a meeting at a private residence.
Since its formation last year, scores of CCC supporters
have been arrested and detained on what have been described as frivolous
charges.
Dozens of party supporters have also become victims of
political violence perpetrated by suspected Zanu PF officials.
CCC Zengeza West legislator Job Sikhala has spent over six
months in pre-trial detention after he was arrested alongside Chitungwiza North
legislator Godfrey Sithole and 14 other party members on charges of inciting
public violence.
Police have, on several occasions, blocked CCC rallies and
other gatherings citing the need to adhere to the provisions of the
Maintainance of Order and Peace Act.
Fadzayi Mahere, the CCC spokesperson said her party would
win the forthcoming elections “against all the odds”.
“The upsurge of violence and repression by Zanu PF prove
beyond any doubt that Zanu PF can never win a free and fair election in
Zimbabwe,” Mahere said.
“Their conduct demonstrates that they have lost all popular
support and are trying to resort to their old-age dirty tricks of political
violence and weaponising the law against opponents and critics.
“The CCC will win the 2023 election against all these odds
— the same way we won the majority of by-elections last year in the face of electoral
manipulation, violence and even the politically motivated murder of our
members.
“We have in place a New Great Zimbabwe blueprint, which is
the only credible policy plan that can take our great nation forward.
“We are not going to back down in the fight to win Zimbabwe
for change.
“We are more determined than ever to ensure we return
citizens to the centre of governance in Zimbabwe and build a new Great Zimbabwe
that has dignity, freedom and prosperity for all."
MDC-T official Morgen Komichi said the police trainings
were undermining democracy.
“If indeed police officers are undergoing the training then
it’s a blow for democracy, it has undermined the freedom of choice and
political affiliation,” Komichi said.
“Members of the security forces are also human beings who
have the right to elect a person of their choice so this situation where they
are ordered to vote for a particular party is uncalled for and should stop
forthwith.”
Mnangagwa (80) is likely to face Chamisa (45) in the
presidential elections after narrowly beating the former student leader in the
disputed 2018 polls. Standard
0 comments:
Post a Comment