Instead of setting policies on law and order in the National Security Council, security chiefs are said to be holding private meetings with Robert Mugabe a situation analysts say is the worst violation of the global political agreement by Zanu (PF).The NSC is responsible for reviewing national policies on security, law and order, and for recommending or directing action of the security forces. But, it has met only once.
That meeting at the end of July merely dealt with formal introductions and set up the basic responsibilities of the group.
The NSC then missed its August date because army generals boycotted it, the Prime Ministers spokesman confirmed.
Under its rules, the NSC must meet once a month but can be summoned to meet at any time, whenever President Robert Mugabe or the Prime Minister sees fit.
The NSC consists of Mugabe as chair, his deputy Joice Mujuru, Tsvangirai and his deputies Arthur Mutambara and Thokozani Khupe, Finance Minister Tendai Biti, Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, and the two home affairs ministers Giles Mutsekwa and Kembo Mohadi.
The service chiefs, who are also members of the security council, continue to meet Mugabe privately, seemingly under the disbanded Joint Operations Command.
The chiefs are Zimbabwe Defence Forces commander General Constantine Chiwenga, Lieutenant-General Sibanda, Air Marshall Perrence Shiri and Commissioner-General of Police Augustine Chihuri. Commissioner of Prisons retired Major-General Paradzai Zimondi and the director-general of the Central Intelligence Organisation, Happyton Bonyongwe, are also reported to be attending the JOC meetings.
Tsvangirai said he had done his part to promote reconciliation but there was open defiance from the security chiefs.
They continue to act with arrogance, forgetting that it was they who lost the March election and that they are only in this agreement as we formed this government for the well-being of the people of Zimbabwe, Tsvangirai said.
People close to Tsvangirai said he was losing patience.
Security chiefs are said to be wrecking efforts to set up a special tribunal for those who organised or financed the election violence; instead offering a special three-day holiday.
Some of the top suspects are said to be high-ranking ministers, army, police officers and Zanu (PF) militia, who are reluctant to see anything that might put them behind bars for their part in the violence.
Post published in: News