OPPOSITION parties have described the Wednesday shootout at Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri’s residence as a manifestation of gross indiscipline within the entire force.
BY OBEY MANAYITI
There was a three-hour shootout at Chihuri’s house after a rogue officer guarding the residence turned against his peers following reports that he had been caught red-handed trying to steal from his boss.
For a long time, opposition parties and ordinary citizens have been complaining that ZRP’s behaviour leaves a lot to be desired. Recently during the inauguration of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Chihuri was booed by the crowd, accusing ZRP of indiscipline among others.
“This just shows the levels of indiscipline in our police force. We actually have a police force that over the years has degenerated into a rag-tag organisation with absolutely no discipline, no respect for people’s fundamental rights and liberty,” MDC-T spokesperson Obert Gutu said.
“Indiscipline crept in a long time ago and it was caused by the failure to periodically renew the top leadership of the police force in order to have new ideas. Chihuri has been at the helm for the past 26 years and nowhere else in the world had this happened.”
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Transform Zimbabwe leader Jacob Ngarivhume said such indiscipline has contributed to Zimbabwe’s problems.
“It confirms what all Zimbabweans have known all this time that our police are undisciplined. This is what has gotten us where we are today. The people need to decisively end this by making sure that we change the system by electing a new government next year,” Ngarivhume said.
National Constitutional Assembly spokesperson Madock Chivasa said: “We believe that there is more to the shooting than the story that is being told. There is need for those in authority to be truthful as there is a lot of untold things associated with the shooting.”
MDC spokesperson Kurauone Chihwayi said the shooting should be investigated and satisfactorily explained.
“The shooting unravelled the level of indiscipline within the police force. The MDC has been calling for the resignation or dismissal of Chihuri for some time. We are reiterating our call for President (Emmerson) Mnangagwa to dismiss Chihuri if they are dreaming of having a professional and disciplined force.”