People lose hope in ZRP

The ZRP national spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba, said in November that perpetrators of political violence would be dealt with firmly. Her boss, Commissioner Augustine Chihuri, also vowed zero tolerance for political violence.

But recent developments indicate that the police have not shed their bias against people who choose to support any party other than President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu (PF).

They have swooped on several NGOs, accusing them of illegally possessing the shortwave radios they have been distributing to information-starved residents of marginalised communities.

Civil society and other observers have said the crackdown is a move by the police to ensure that these communities, traditionally Zanu (PF) strongholds, do not get access to independent information ahead of elections.

Other political parties contend that Chihuri’s open declaration of his support for Zanu (PF) and his recent calls for his subordinates to vote for the party raise doubts about the prospects of the ZRP dealing even-handedly with perpetrators of violence, regardless of their political affiliation.

MDC-T spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora told The Zimbabwean that his party’s confidence in the ability of the police to deal effectively with cases of political violence had been eroded by the manner in which they handled the case of Christpower Maisiri (12). The son of the MDC-T Deputy Organising Secretary for Headlands died last month when the hut in which he was sleeping was burnt in what the party believes was an arson attack by Zanu (PF) members.

Police have ruled out foul play and said Maisiri could have died as a result of an explosion of fertiliser and tobacco chemicals kept in the hut.

“The signs that we are seeing right now are not good. They do not give us confidence that ZRP is going to conduct itself in a non-partisan manner during the elections. The way they handled the case of Christpower Maisiri leaves a lot to be desired,” said Mwonzora.

“Chihuri has behaved like Zanu (PF) and is unsuitable to run the police force. When he said he was Zanu (PF), he was just being honest and was saying the obvious,” he added.

In recent weeks, the police have been accused of selectively applying the law on several occasions.

On March 5 they disrupted an MDC-T meeting on the new constitution on the grounds that it had not been cleared. On March 8 the National Constitutional Assembly was barred from conducting a similar exercise in Chipinge.

On February 27, police stopped a Media Centre public debate on the constitution.

Chihuri has hijacked several functions lately to preach Zanu (PF) propaganda and is actively campaigning for the party in the forthcoming elections, threatening serving members who choose to support other parties.

The ZRP is reportedly bussing in recruits to register at various voter registration centres across the country, while making it difficult for members of the public to register, in a move that political parties say could be meant to sway the vote in Zanu (PF)’s favour.

In November the MDC-T voiced concern after six Zanu (PF) activists accused of murdering MDC-T Ward 1 Chairman for Nyamapanda, Cephas Magura, were released on $100 bail each by the High Court.

In contrast, 29 MDC-T activists accused of murdering a police officer in Glen View in May 2011 spent lengthy periods in remand prison, and five of them are still behind bars. The other activists were finally released on $500 bail each after more than a year behind bars.

The deputy spokesperson of the MDC led by Welshman Ncube, Kurauone Chihwayi said Chihuri’s alignment with Zanu (PF) removed any hope of the police force conducting itself professionally.

“The possibility of having a non-partisan police force during Mugabe’s era is zero. Chihuri is a Zanu (PF) activist masquerading as a policeman,” he said.

ZAPU Information Secretary, Mjobisa Noko said: “It does not look as though the ZRP is going to be transparent in dealing with issues of political violence.”

The Programmes Manager for the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, Nixon Nyikadzino, said the recent police crackdown on civil society organisations was directly related to a resolution made at the Zanu (PF) Conference in December.

The party resolved to urge government to shut down NGOs seeking regime change by working to remove Mugabe from power.

CSOs that have fallen victim to the police crackdown so far include the Zimbabwe Election Support Network, the Zimbabwe Peace Project, ZimRights and Radio Dialogue.

Zanu (PF) spokesperson Rugare Gumbo voiced his party’s support for the clampdown on civil society by the police, saying CSOs were bent on tarnishing the image of his party and supporting the two MDCs.