Police to take Rwodzi to task

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Junior police officers have complained to their superiors about interference by ZANU PF officials which is making it hard for them to perform their duties.

Police said they are investigating audio in which the ZANU PF Chirumanzi South MP, Barbara Rwodzi, threatened to “deal” with a police officer who had opened a docket against a ZANU PF member who defaced CCC’s campaign posters.

Following the incident, police officers reportedly asked Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga to take action against Rwodzi, to “restore police dignity”.

In a memo dated 16 July 2023, addressed to the police officer commanding Midlands province Patson Nyabadza, the officer commanding Gweru rural district Tambudzai Gumbo said:

On July 15, 2023, at around 2207 hours, number 041853R Insp Murima received a phone call from Honourable Babra Rwodzi… who is the deputy minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism questioning why the accused person was summoned to appear in court.

When she was told that the accused person was facing the allegations of removing and destroying posters for another political party, she vented her anger on the junior officer telling him that the police were doing nothing to protect members from the ruling party, ZANU PF.

She told the junior officer that the case was not supposed to be referred to court, instead, the junior officer as the officer-in-charge was supposed to handle the matter at the station…

Honourable Babra Rwodzi also questioned why the police were allowing the opposition party CCC to display party posters in the Chirumanzu South constituency.

Efforts to explain that police had no mandate to stop the opposition party from displaying their posters fell on deaf ears.

Honourable Babra Rwodzi accused police officers at ZRP Charandura of being members of the CCC party and promised to take the matter up with the Commissioner-General CDE GT Matanga and His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe CDE DR ED Mnangagwa.

It is now difficult for police officers to execute their duties as required in section 219 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe with threats of victimisation when executing their duties.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi told NewsDay that police bosses were seized with the matter.

Matanga is aware of such complaints and we have taken note of the alleged voice recording between Rwodzi and the police officer. We have since launched an investigation into the matter.

The commissioner has already released a statement to say investigations into the matter have been launched, thus the matter is being dealt with.

ZANU PF political commissar Mike Bimha said the party had not sanctioned intimidation of police officers. Said Bimha:

Individuals threatening police officers are not representatives of ZANU PF in the acts.

An individual is not ZANU PF. Go and ask those accused of threatening the police, they can answer for themselves because they are independent of the party.

The opposition has been calling for security sector reforms for years but ZANU PF has been adamant it will maintain the status quo.

–Pindula News