At least 93 police officers graduated last weekend as members of the Tourism Police Unit and will be deployed in central parts of the city and popular tourist spots countrywide “where cases of theft and begging have become more frequent,” the police said. Police Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri said in a speech read on his behalf by Senior Assistant Commissioner Mary Masango that the new unit was dedicated to helping and looking out for tourists. The 2010 FIFA World Cup provides a rare platform for the country to market itself as a safe tourist destination despite bad media publicity the country has received in the past years, said Masango said.
The speech was a typical Zanu (PF) spin on the countrys appalling human rights record with the police having been responsible in large part for the many killings, beatings of civilians, arbitrary arrests, lack of the rule of law and asset stripping by party heavies.
Zimbabwe Council of Tourism president Emmanuel Fundira said without security, tourism could not register meaningful growth.
We commend the police for their good work and success stories of incident-free events when the country hosted Brazil, a large brand in soccer, cricket test matches and other international events without people losing their or valuables, Fundira said.
Post published in: Politics