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Mashudu Netsianda/Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Chronicle Reporters
A TOTAL of 515 senior and junior police officers stationed in Bulawayo and Matabeleland South provinces have been conferred with new ranks following their elevation.

The promotions are in line with the Second Republic’s vision to rebrand the police service. The vacancies had arisen due to retirements from the police force as well as natural causes.

In Bulawayo 479 cops from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Police Protection Unit (PPU) and the Daily Uniformed Branch (DUB) were elevated.

Of those, 52 were Inspectors who were promoted to the rank of Chief Inspector and conferred with the new ranks yesterday at the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Drill Hall.

A total of 123 were promoted from Sergeant to Assistant Inspector while 282 Constables were elevated to Sergeants. Twenty-two were elevated from Sergeants to Sergeant Majors.

Due to the Covid-19 regulations, four newly promoted Chief Inspectors Mavuto Banda, Siphilisiwe Mhlanga, Sikhunjuliwe Mlauzi and Enock Makhiwa were chosen to represent the rest in their category in being conferred with badges of the new rank by Officer Commanding Bulawayo Province Commissioner Patton Mbangwa during a colourful ceremony, which was punctuated by scintillating police displays.

Representatives of those who were promoted from Assistant Inspector to Inspector were Tsungai Manyunzu, Beneficial Mafu, Almos Musona and Kenneth Chitima and they were also conferred with new badges. Friends and relatives of the newly promoted also graced the occasion, which was also attended by high-ranking police officers from the province.

Comm Mbangwa read Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga’s speech.

A similar event was held in Gwanda, the provincial capital of Matabeleland South where 36 police officers stationed in the province were conferred with new ranks of Inspectors and Chief Inspectors.

One officer was promoted from Sergeant Major to Assistant Inspector, 27 were promoted from Assistant Inspector to Inspector while eight were promoted from Inspector to Chief Inspector.

In a speech read on his behalf by Assistant Commissioner John Simon who is responsible for crime in Matabeleland South Province, during the conferment ceremony, Comm-Gen Godwin Matanga extended his gratitude to President Mnangagwa for promoting the officers, saying the gesture demonstrated the Second Republic’s commitment to improve the performance of Government institutions through rewarding hard work, dedication to duty and proficient service to the people.

Comm General Matanga urged the newly promoted officers to maintain professionalism and be exemplary to their subordinates.

“While your promotion today reflects due recognition and incentive for your individual hard work, its main thrust is that it is an investment vehicle in which the organisation is planting seeds of hope in your career.

“As such you are expected to remain forthright, exemplary, visionary, firm, fair and professional among other attributes and expectations synonymous with the ranks you now occupy,” he said.

“Above all the need for you to become role models to your peers and subordinates as well as paragons of professionalism in the communities you serve cannot be overemphasised.”

Comm General Matanga urged police officers to shun corruption but uphold morality and good ethical conduct.
Countrywide, a total of 3 945 Sergeants, 173 Sergeant Majors and 1 511 Assistant Inspectors were promoted. — @mashnets @ @DubeMatutu