Zimpapers Logo

Theresa Makone of undermining the uniformed services and abusing her office.
The top cop told a joint sitting of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Defence and Home Affairs and Senate’s Thematic Committee on Peace and Security in Harare yesterday that legislators displayed a baffling lack of knowledge of the law.
Comm-Gen Chihuri said the MDC-T leadership from whi-ch Minister Makone came had incited numerous incidents of political violence.
He said, “On January 25 in Marondera at Mbuya Nehanda Hall, Minister Makone was addressing 25 women and six men and the police officers who were covering the meeting were ejected and she threatened them violently saying it was a private meeting.
“You wonder whether the minister is aware what constitutes a private meeting and the numbers involved. Sometimes the ignorance of the law among the lawmakers is baffling.
“She abuses the office and undermines the authority of the police.”
A visibly angry Comm-Gen Chihuri said Minister Makone had also stormed Marlborough Police Station after her party aide was arrested.
“She has an officer who guards her named Edmore Mungofa and is from the MDC-T.
“He has so many cases of violence and when he was arrested in Marlborough she stormed the station accusing the police officers of stealing his identity card. I know we are underpaid but how can someone steal a person’s card to make money?”
Comm-Gen Chihuri said political violence tended to emerge whenever there was an impending election or international conference.
“Experience has it that there are certain periods in this country and certain events worldwide that are aligned to violence.
“Whenever elections are talked of, there is an increase in violence; when there are EU meetings to extend sanctions, violence goes up; when there are UN meetings where the Head of State is to attend, there is violence.
“Perpetrators know why they do it at those times but I do not think it’s coincidental,” he said.
The police chief said 36 cases of violence had been recor-ded this year with 121 arrests being made.
Of these, 101 were of MDC-T supporters and officials while the remaining 20 were from Zanu-PF.
He said what was worrying was the involvement of the MDC-T leadership in the violence.
“When it comes to violence the leadership of the MDC-T is involved.
“Among the cases I have given there are leaders of the MDC-T involved while there are non from Zanu-PF,” he said.
Comm-Gen Chihuri denied accusations that the ZRP was partisan saying they were professional in discharging their duties. He said politicians should instead focus their energies on preventing violence.
“We do not arrest for the sake of equalising numbers or to please anybody when nobody has committed an offence.
“You are the political parties and your supporters are involved in violence, my question is why don’t you take the bull by the horns and stop the violence?
“As far as we are concerned we do our job professionally and we do our job diligently.
“Citizens of this world speak volumes of us and even the UN has commended us.
“I am satisfied that we are doing our job and we are doing it correctly.”
Comm-Gen Chihuri denied that the police had been involved in violence.
“Violence is against our laws. There are several laws which both houses (of Parliament) have put in place and the duty of the police is to enforce those laws.
“When violence occurs, the police are called in and their primary role is to restore law and order, they are not interested in which political party you belong to but merely to apprehend the perpetrators of violence.”
He said both Zanu-PF and MDC-T had accused the police of being politically partial.
Comm-Gen Chihuri chronicled events when members of MDC-T’s leadership had instigated or are alleged to have instigated political violence.
He cited the assault of Chief Serima by Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment Deputy Minister Tongai Matutu and said Nyanga North’s House of Assembly representative, Douglas Mwonzora, had political violence charges before the courts.
He said even Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe had assaulted a cop at a roadblock last year and the National Security Council had discussed the matter.
Comm-Gen Chihuri said the police had used their discretion not to prosecute the DPM for the alleged criminal act.
He turned to the chair of the House of Assembly Committee, Mr Paul Madzore (MDC-T), reminding him that he too had a political violence case pending in the courts.