Hello all,
A short entry today...
A recent scan of the news reveals not much of real interest - Zimbabwe literally staggers on a bit more. Mugabe, having failed in his bid to absorb his detractors is now charging on alone as usual! It is noteworthy that the rest of Africa remains silent in their ever stoic way. But then, I always have to remind myself that this is Africa - and here we do what individual dictators want!
The passing of Levy Mwanasa was a blow to the anti Mugabe movement, but it seems that Zambia may continue with that line! which is a good thing - and the South African elections are getting ever nearer. Mugabe mus be looking in despair at "the wall" and be reading, with horror the writing that is there.
People often ask me if I am disappointed with the outcome of the elections.. Well I am not, but then I never truly expected a different outcome - Mugabe was never going to allow the ballot to actually reflect the will of the people and oust him - he never has, so why would that change now? I think though, he has realised that the time is now drawing inexorably nearer and he needs to make plans - in the meantime, he will hang on, law and order will be become ever more irrelevant and the general state of things will, inevitably deteriorate - they WILL get worse before they get better.. but then they WILL get better.
And there are a great number of Zimbabweans who, having done well in the rest of the world will come home and the economy, with huge injections of promised aid, will bounce back. The infrastructure in Zimbabwe still exists, we just need the right people to operate it!
And this will all start with the police and the re-establishment of the rule of law. In my view (naturally!), the cornerstone of any economic recovery is the re-establishment of the rule of law and all it's attendants, such as human rights, property rights, security and freedom. This has to start with the police - and that will mean virtually eliminating the ENTIRE hierarchy of the Police force, re-organising training and development within the force and redeployment of officers who WILL do the job correctly and with dedication.
Later.
Thursday, 28 August 2008
Wednesday, 27 August 2008
A Long Absence!
Hello all,
I am back after a forced absence - domestic events and another move!
A brief whizz through the news events shows things following much the course that I anticipated.
It would seem that Mugabe's plan to "negotiate" a settlement and absorb the MDC as he did with Nkomo in the earl years has hit something of a wall. Fortunately, the opposition know where they stand and will not be suckered! And good for them.
It is strange, being a policeman (not present in Zim right now and, therefore, not subject to stupid biased leadership) and being able to be objective and try to make sense of the whole thing! How on earth does one sort out what is actually legal from what is not? Clearly the party faithful in the police can see their way very clearly... and their actions are targeted against opposition to Mugabe. And I find that remarkable - obviously these individuals who act within the force cannot see that the writing is on the wall. And it never ceases to amaze me that the closer to the end it gets, the more violent these individuals become, the more biased they become and the further from legality their actions become. It is the old story of history repeating itself over and over - from Eastern Europe and worldwide. They never learn and they fails to recognise that their actions are being recorded and they will face justice - and probably sooner rather than later!
Individuals like Bvudzijena should by now be keeping a low profile and making plans to either mitigate their behaviour, or disappear - either option would be preferable, their continued presence merely delays and complicates matters. And Bvudzijena is but one of many - the top end of the force is filled with the party faithful who are blindly clinging to the belief that in reality, they can convince the rest of Zimbabwe and, indeed the world, that this is all some Western plot carried out by "puppets" to rob Zimbabwe of it's sovereignty! Either they are incredibly stupid (a reasonable assumption given some of the things they have come up with over the years!) or they are so brainwashed as to completely useless to the people, the nation and the force itself.
I am relishing watching these people scattering for cover when it all finally crashes down! I am sure that there will be those amongst their number who believe it is time for another was against the (now non-existent) Colonial Machine. And this is a very valid reason that the MDC look to the future and make plans to cope with this now. When the time comes, it will be imperative that they have trained and experienced personnel in place to take immediate action against those who would take up arms against the legitimately elected government.
And there are those of us who are poised, waiting for some indication from the MDC that they have thought about this and would want us to help. I must say that whilst I understand their focus at the moment, they have said nothing and appear not to be looking to the future at all. Perhaps they feel the situation is quite hopeless at this point and no one could really blame them, however, surely it is becoming plain to all that Mugabe and his ZANU-pf fiefdom is rapidly heading for the wall.
The MDC should be engaging with some members of the force, both those in service and those ex members and exiled members who are the very people they will need to rely on to fill the power vacuum or wrest control from the party biased agents. And they need to be doing this sooner rather than later!
I note that the police is till acting in a biased manner, bringing trumped up charges against the MDC MP's whilst ignoring gross violations by the party! I do find it strange - having been present and on duty during the previous election, I recall listening to the stations passing their stats on the radio in the early hours and was surprised to hear that more ZANU-pf supporters had, in fact been arrested than MDC supporters! Strange, but very true. obviously the party is trying to keep the lid on tighter now and actual law really doesn't apply!
Hope fully I will now be able to contribute on a daily basis - without further breaks in transmission!
Later.
I am back after a forced absence - domestic events and another move!
A brief whizz through the news events shows things following much the course that I anticipated.
It would seem that Mugabe's plan to "negotiate" a settlement and absorb the MDC as he did with Nkomo in the earl years has hit something of a wall. Fortunately, the opposition know where they stand and will not be suckered! And good for them.
It is strange, being a policeman (not present in Zim right now and, therefore, not subject to stupid biased leadership) and being able to be objective and try to make sense of the whole thing! How on earth does one sort out what is actually legal from what is not? Clearly the party faithful in the police can see their way very clearly... and their actions are targeted against opposition to Mugabe. And I find that remarkable - obviously these individuals who act within the force cannot see that the writing is on the wall. And it never ceases to amaze me that the closer to the end it gets, the more violent these individuals become, the more biased they become and the further from legality their actions become. It is the old story of history repeating itself over and over - from Eastern Europe and worldwide. They never learn and they fails to recognise that their actions are being recorded and they will face justice - and probably sooner rather than later!
Individuals like Bvudzijena should by now be keeping a low profile and making plans to either mitigate their behaviour, or disappear - either option would be preferable, their continued presence merely delays and complicates matters. And Bvudzijena is but one of many - the top end of the force is filled with the party faithful who are blindly clinging to the belief that in reality, they can convince the rest of Zimbabwe and, indeed the world, that this is all some Western plot carried out by "puppets" to rob Zimbabwe of it's sovereignty! Either they are incredibly stupid (a reasonable assumption given some of the things they have come up with over the years!) or they are so brainwashed as to completely useless to the people, the nation and the force itself.
I am relishing watching these people scattering for cover when it all finally crashes down! I am sure that there will be those amongst their number who believe it is time for another was against the (now non-existent) Colonial Machine. And this is a very valid reason that the MDC look to the future and make plans to cope with this now. When the time comes, it will be imperative that they have trained and experienced personnel in place to take immediate action against those who would take up arms against the legitimately elected government.
And there are those of us who are poised, waiting for some indication from the MDC that they have thought about this and would want us to help. I must say that whilst I understand their focus at the moment, they have said nothing and appear not to be looking to the future at all. Perhaps they feel the situation is quite hopeless at this point and no one could really blame them, however, surely it is becoming plain to all that Mugabe and his ZANU-pf fiefdom is rapidly heading for the wall.
The MDC should be engaging with some members of the force, both those in service and those ex members and exiled members who are the very people they will need to rely on to fill the power vacuum or wrest control from the party biased agents. And they need to be doing this sooner rather than later!
I note that the police is till acting in a biased manner, bringing trumped up charges against the MDC MP's whilst ignoring gross violations by the party! I do find it strange - having been present and on duty during the previous election, I recall listening to the stations passing their stats on the radio in the early hours and was surprised to hear that more ZANU-pf supporters had, in fact been arrested than MDC supporters! Strange, but very true. obviously the party is trying to keep the lid on tighter now and actual law really doesn't apply!
Hope fully I will now be able to contribute on a daily basis - without further breaks in transmission!
Later.
Tuesday, 22 July 2008
Professionalism, Corruption, MoU
Hello All,
The bearded man pointed out a story to me that is very pertinent in showing the confusion, paranoia and complete unprofessional behaviour of the ZANU-PF militia!
The report emanates from ZWnews.com and can be read by clicking here.
The report states:
Masvingo - Zimbabwe Republic Police spokesperson, Wayne Bvudzijena is now reportedly editing all violence related stories by the Herald, Radio VOP can reveal. In an announcement that shocked other news editors gathered in Masvingo, The Herald news editor, Isdore Guvamombe, who is also a former freedom fighter, openly told workshop participants that the ZRP had demanded to see all stories on violence and that they therefore, had to send them to Bvudzijena for clearance before publishing. Guvamombe said while Bvudzijena could not write copy like journalists, they just had to publish what he would have cleared. The news editor said this had been done for security reasons, probably explaining why MDC violence reports are never published by the paper. Guvamombe said he would continue sending copy to Bvudzijena every day and would only publish after the ZRP spokesman had cleared the violence reports. Guvamombe said he did not expect any foul play in the write ups as the ZRP was 'very professional'.
So now the ZANU-PF militia (the so-called present ZRP) is extending it's propaganda machinery into the formal press by controlling what they print? And this is professional?? Bvudzijena and others like him, throughout the Zimbabwe Republic Police need to be giving their attestation (basically their oath to serve) some serious thought. And they need to be paying due diligence to the Police Act. These people are in breach of many aspects of the Law, the Constitution and their duties as police officers. They will be made to account for their actions.
And I think it is a point here to remind ourselves that pretty much everything ZANU-PF has done since the 2000 referendum has been illegal. Certainly right now the Junta controlling Zimbabwe is illegal and every single police officer (and soldier or air force member or Prisons Officer) needs to be thinking very hard about what a "lawful" order is, what it means and why they, as police officers, need to be very clear that the "party" is NOT the government and is not the duly elected representative of the people. Presidential decrees are not legal and, in many cases, ride roughshod over the law - and these are things that will need to be addressed.
I was also considering corruption in Zimbabwe now. And this has become a very deep rooted epidemic, affecting virtually every aspect of life and, in particular, every thing the ZANU-PF militia do (I am loathe to call them a police force as they could not be further from it at the moment!). I have a great deal of information on many cases of absolute corruption - people in Zimbabwe, particularly the rich whites still making a killing there, need to also be thinking hard. It is now an accepted fact of life that the police will act, or not act depending on how much money, which contacts you have and really nothing follows any semblance of law enforcement at all any more. This is going to be a gargantuan task to reverse. I would think that a special task force will need to be set up and actively engaged in investigating and stinging both police officers and members of the public. We need to return to the days when bribing a cop was a very risky business indeed.
Funnily enough though, I have had dealings in the past couple of years with the Presidents Office corruption desk - in particular a chap called Andy. And he is exactly the type of chap we need. If, of course, he hasn't given up, been threatened or anything else. He was extremely motivated in following up stories allegations and was very active in bringing offenders, from any side of the line to book. On two cases I involved him in, I was very impressed with his diligence!
Corruption is the biggest single factor in the downfall of the police. I am aware that many people have had to resort to corrupt engagements with the police to just get what any normal citizen is due, such as passports, foreign currency, police clearance certificates (which some countries still demand - and to what end I have no idea since they are not worth the paper they are written on!), birth certificates, drivers licences - in fact virtually every aspect of normal life has become a corrupt practise - simply put, if you don't pay, you don't get.
But the dealings with the police interest me the most and here, again, I have seen great contrast. There are still officers who actually just want to do the job properly (although they appear to be a shrinking minority, probably more through necessity than anything else) and there are those who truly are lost. The problem is so bad that con artists, the fraudsters and that type of individual have all got a pet policeman on tap that gets them off the hook or diverts attention away from them. And here I have seen some Officers-in-charge of Harare suburban police stations heavily involved in these behaviours. Funnily enough, the Officers Commanding District seem to be much less involved and still quite genuinely interested in policing.
Sadly, until investigations really get into this cess-pit, we will never know and, I suspect will be truly shocked by who is and who isn't involved.
And this is such a long topic to consider, people routinely make reports against people they view as business rivals, or use CIO personnel to collect debts. I have had particularly unpleasant dealing with two of the most corrupt members of the CIO I have ever come across - and the interesting part is that they are firmly under the control of criminal white businessmen in Harare - I have kept a great amount of information and really do hope for the day that investigations can be launched - it will be interesting to see who is heading for the hills then!
And so the much vaunted MoU had been signed amid much smiling and handshaking between the parties. I do hope that this produces some results. I will not be publishing the MoU here as it can be found in almost a zillion places on the net - but I did want to comment on a couple of things agreed to..
Firstly:
(b) POLITICAL
(i) New Constitution
(ii) Promotion of equality, national healing and cohesion, and unity
(iii) External interference
(iv) Free political activity
(v) Rule of law
(vi) State organs and institutions
(vii) Legislative agenda priorities
Section (b)
part (ii) - does this mean that as a white policeman, I will be eligible to promotion and be treated as a full member of the force? (something that hasn't been the case for over 15 years now!). Maybe I will even get my GSM and LSM???
part (v) - Does this mean we want to re-establish the Rule of Law? If so, does it mean that persons who committed offences will be arrested? Indeed if that is the case, the police will shrink by about 80% - so what next???
10. Interim measures
10.1 Security of persons
(a) Each Party will issue a statement condemning the promotion and use of violence and call for peace in the country and shall take all measures necessary to ensure that the structures and institutions it controls are not engaged in the perpetration of violence.
(b) The Parties are committed to ensuring that the law is applied fairly and justly to all persons irrespective of political affiliation.
If these parts are to be read together, how will the ZRP function? They have long ago lost their ability to function and have no hope of investigating anything unless they are permitted to beat a confession out of an accused!
I recall that recently I was at a local Harare police station were plain clothes officers were investigating a string of House Breaking and theft offences. I had to go into the office to obtain something from one of the officers and I recall that when I went into the office, the accused was lying on the ground whilst these two plain clothes so-called police men were beating him with 60mm armoured cable. When I questioned them, they said it was the cheapest and easiest way of closing the CR - and, after all, they "knew" this accused person was responsible! I didn't press the matter with them and when I reported to the officer in charge, he became decidedly frosty towards me and told me that this was Zimbabwe, not Rhodesia and Zimbabwean police officers knew what they were doing! Erm... wasn't the Rhodesian government and BSAP accused of brutality? I seem to be confused!
Clearly a solution is required for Zimbabwe and this solution must culminate in the removal of the illegal Junta and free and fair elections under the rule of law must be achieved - I just wonder how realistic that is????
Later.
The bearded man pointed out a story to me that is very pertinent in showing the confusion, paranoia and complete unprofessional behaviour of the ZANU-PF militia!
The report emanates from ZWnews.com and can be read by clicking here.
The report states:
Masvingo - Zimbabwe Republic Police spokesperson, Wayne Bvudzijena is now reportedly editing all violence related stories by the Herald, Radio VOP can reveal. In an announcement that shocked other news editors gathered in Masvingo, The Herald news editor, Isdore Guvamombe, who is also a former freedom fighter, openly told workshop participants that the ZRP had demanded to see all stories on violence and that they therefore, had to send them to Bvudzijena for clearance before publishing. Guvamombe said while Bvudzijena could not write copy like journalists, they just had to publish what he would have cleared. The news editor said this had been done for security reasons, probably explaining why MDC violence reports are never published by the paper. Guvamombe said he would continue sending copy to Bvudzijena every day and would only publish after the ZRP spokesman had cleared the violence reports. Guvamombe said he did not expect any foul play in the write ups as the ZRP was 'very professional'.
So now the ZANU-PF militia (the so-called present ZRP) is extending it's propaganda machinery into the formal press by controlling what they print? And this is professional?? Bvudzijena and others like him, throughout the Zimbabwe Republic Police need to be giving their attestation (basically their oath to serve) some serious thought. And they need to be paying due diligence to the Police Act. These people are in breach of many aspects of the Law, the Constitution and their duties as police officers. They will be made to account for their actions.
And I think it is a point here to remind ourselves that pretty much everything ZANU-PF has done since the 2000 referendum has been illegal. Certainly right now the Junta controlling Zimbabwe is illegal and every single police officer (and soldier or air force member or Prisons Officer) needs to be thinking very hard about what a "lawful" order is, what it means and why they, as police officers, need to be very clear that the "party" is NOT the government and is not the duly elected representative of the people. Presidential decrees are not legal and, in many cases, ride roughshod over the law - and these are things that will need to be addressed.
I was also considering corruption in Zimbabwe now. And this has become a very deep rooted epidemic, affecting virtually every aspect of life and, in particular, every thing the ZANU-PF militia do (I am loathe to call them a police force as they could not be further from it at the moment!). I have a great deal of information on many cases of absolute corruption - people in Zimbabwe, particularly the rich whites still making a killing there, need to also be thinking hard. It is now an accepted fact of life that the police will act, or not act depending on how much money, which contacts you have and really nothing follows any semblance of law enforcement at all any more. This is going to be a gargantuan task to reverse. I would think that a special task force will need to be set up and actively engaged in investigating and stinging both police officers and members of the public. We need to return to the days when bribing a cop was a very risky business indeed.
Funnily enough though, I have had dealings in the past couple of years with the Presidents Office corruption desk - in particular a chap called Andy. And he is exactly the type of chap we need. If, of course, he hasn't given up, been threatened or anything else. He was extremely motivated in following up stories allegations and was very active in bringing offenders, from any side of the line to book. On two cases I involved him in, I was very impressed with his diligence!
Corruption is the biggest single factor in the downfall of the police. I am aware that many people have had to resort to corrupt engagements with the police to just get what any normal citizen is due, such as passports, foreign currency, police clearance certificates (which some countries still demand - and to what end I have no idea since they are not worth the paper they are written on!), birth certificates, drivers licences - in fact virtually every aspect of normal life has become a corrupt practise - simply put, if you don't pay, you don't get.
But the dealings with the police interest me the most and here, again, I have seen great contrast. There are still officers who actually just want to do the job properly (although they appear to be a shrinking minority, probably more through necessity than anything else) and there are those who truly are lost. The problem is so bad that con artists, the fraudsters and that type of individual have all got a pet policeman on tap that gets them off the hook or diverts attention away from them. And here I have seen some Officers-in-charge of Harare suburban police stations heavily involved in these behaviours. Funnily enough, the Officers Commanding District seem to be much less involved and still quite genuinely interested in policing.
Sadly, until investigations really get into this cess-pit, we will never know and, I suspect will be truly shocked by who is and who isn't involved.
And this is such a long topic to consider, people routinely make reports against people they view as business rivals, or use CIO personnel to collect debts. I have had particularly unpleasant dealing with two of the most corrupt members of the CIO I have ever come across - and the interesting part is that they are firmly under the control of criminal white businessmen in Harare - I have kept a great amount of information and really do hope for the day that investigations can be launched - it will be interesting to see who is heading for the hills then!
And so the much vaunted MoU had been signed amid much smiling and handshaking between the parties. I do hope that this produces some results. I will not be publishing the MoU here as it can be found in almost a zillion places on the net - but I did want to comment on a couple of things agreed to..
Firstly:
(b) POLITICAL
(i) New Constitution
(ii) Promotion of equality, national healing and cohesion, and unity
(iii) External interference
(iv) Free political activity
(v) Rule of law
(vi) State organs and institutions
(vii) Legislative agenda priorities
Section (b)
part (ii) - does this mean that as a white policeman, I will be eligible to promotion and be treated as a full member of the force? (something that hasn't been the case for over 15 years now!). Maybe I will even get my GSM and LSM???
part (v) - Does this mean we want to re-establish the Rule of Law? If so, does it mean that persons who committed offences will be arrested? Indeed if that is the case, the police will shrink by about 80% - so what next???
10. Interim measures
10.1 Security of persons
(a) Each Party will issue a statement condemning the promotion and use of violence and call for peace in the country and shall take all measures necessary to ensure that the structures and institutions it controls are not engaged in the perpetration of violence.
(b) The Parties are committed to ensuring that the law is applied fairly and justly to all persons irrespective of political affiliation.
If these parts are to be read together, how will the ZRP function? They have long ago lost their ability to function and have no hope of investigating anything unless they are permitted to beat a confession out of an accused!
I recall that recently I was at a local Harare police station were plain clothes officers were investigating a string of House Breaking and theft offences. I had to go into the office to obtain something from one of the officers and I recall that when I went into the office, the accused was lying on the ground whilst these two plain clothes so-called police men were beating him with 60mm armoured cable. When I questioned them, they said it was the cheapest and easiest way of closing the CR - and, after all, they "knew" this accused person was responsible! I didn't press the matter with them and when I reported to the officer in charge, he became decidedly frosty towards me and told me that this was Zimbabwe, not Rhodesia and Zimbabwean police officers knew what they were doing! Erm... wasn't the Rhodesian government and BSAP accused of brutality? I seem to be confused!
Clearly a solution is required for Zimbabwe and this solution must culminate in the removal of the illegal Junta and free and fair elections under the rule of law must be achieved - I just wonder how realistic that is????
Later.
Saturday, 19 July 2008
Reservists, Police Constabulary, Neighbourhood Watch
Hello All,
Today I was considering some of the things that contributed to the collapse of The Zimbabwe Republic Police as a credible law enforcement agency. And one of the things that I hit upon was the reserves.
On the surface, the police reserve force, or special constabulary as it is now known (so many names of things have been changed, ostensibly to try and help the colonial past fade, but really just costing money and of no significant use!) could be an extremely useful adjunct to the regular force. And indeed this used to be the case. These are generally individuals with an interest in policing who have normal full time employment. They used to be trained to a fairly high standard and fitted into the force as part time paid members. They generally operated from their local station and carried out duties alongside regular officers. They were issued uniform and rank, were subject to the police act. They also could be "called up" for continuous service when the demands on the force dictated.
Being paid, they could not be classified as "volunteers" which made them subject to regulation and disciplinary procedures and meant that they were required to fulfil certain obligations. However, they were people who chose to be involved and, as such, they tended to have quite a decent attitude towards their work and were often very dedicated.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police had a very effective reservist contingent inherited from the BSAP. In the early 80's, around the time of gukurahundi, the ZANU-PF government used this as one of their tools to start turning the police into a party militia. The first things that happened was that one had to have a zanu-pf party card in order to be eligible to join the police reserve. And so the rot set in. A number of individuals who really wanted to be reservists and involved actually joined the party and endured endless party meetings in order just to get in!
The reserve filled up with party members who saw it as a way to get into the regular force. Their dreams were, in fact, realised. During the late 80's and early 90's there was much talk about the scrapping of the reserve force altogether and all members were offered integration into the regular force. Many of these persons would not have survived the entry criteria and testing to which normal regular officers were subject. When I joined the force all manner of things were tested, health, minimum height, weight, education, fitness as well as all manner of psychometric testing as well as CID and police clearance for criminal records (I a m surprised they no longer pay attention to this aspect as it almost seems that being completely unsuitable for service and having a criminal record are pre- requisites for entry!).
The name of the police reserve was changed (late 80's, I think!), entry criteria began to fall away and, as funding within the force dropped (probably to accommodate the excesses of the elite!) training fell away. One merely had to approach and befriend the local CRLO (Community Relations Liaison Officer) at any station and the paper work would be completed, usually a lot faster if you "helped out with certain things" and presto - you would be a policeman! There were a number of young white Zimbabweans (as well as the odd foreigner!) who joined during this era, some of whom were not even over the of 18 years (the minimum age for joining since the scrapping of the cadet rank). Some of these people had a genuine interest in policing and many provided transport where the police had none and many managed to accumulate strong records of arrests. Many did not. And confusion reigned supreme. The neighbourhood watch scheme was introduced as a way of putting grass roots patrols back out on the streets (you recall from the official history I quoted - this was probably a duty considered "manual, dirty work!). Neighbourhood watch members were issued with force numbers (usually starting 080) and were imbued with the rank of constable. Their mandate was meant to be to patrol their local neighbour hood only and to apprehend and detain persons who may have been committing crime in that neighbourhood.
Well, most of the true neighbourhood watch work was actually done by domestic servants who patrolled diligently, provided and decent presence and made some good arrests. they acted as a very good deterrent.
Many of the younger whites who became involved with neighbourhood watch, suddenly saw themselves as crime fighters extraordinaire! They could be found producing their ID cards to gain entry to local nightclubs, rushing around with blue lights and generally creating a huge amount of confusion. Many of the A branch members of the Police Constabulary, as it became known fell in with this group. I have met many of these questionable quasi policemen who claim to be things like "vice squad", "drugs squad", "C.I.D." etc. And quite laughable, but also fairly dangerous. Many of these individuals had absolutely no idea about what forms were required for what, how to attend a crime scene, what the priorities at a road traffic accident were etc. And regular officers used to have to be in the duty uniform branch for at least two years and score consistent b's in their APR's to be considered for C.I.D. work. Many of the real A branch members who did a lot of good work found themselves confused with these self made "miami Vice" wannabes and suffered for it. Even the force itself has no clues what these members are or who they are now! There were one or two notable ex regular member who fought hard to maintain some form of policing, but alas, all have become mired in the absolute shambles that is the ZRP today.
Nowadays the regular members of the force have become so confused themselves as to who or what "policon" members are - generally speaking, if you are white, you are now regarded as being a member of the neighbourhood watch and the police constabulary no longer exists. They stopped paying members in about 1998 and with the need for pay records gone, record keeping dropped to match other areas of the force.
But then, the reserve had done its job - as a route for the party cadres into the force, without having to undergo anything as embarrassing as a set of tests to determine if they even had the ability and attitude to police! No surprise then that the quality of the force has crashed!
Later.
Today I was considering some of the things that contributed to the collapse of The Zimbabwe Republic Police as a credible law enforcement agency. And one of the things that I hit upon was the reserves.
On the surface, the police reserve force, or special constabulary as it is now known (so many names of things have been changed, ostensibly to try and help the colonial past fade, but really just costing money and of no significant use!) could be an extremely useful adjunct to the regular force. And indeed this used to be the case. These are generally individuals with an interest in policing who have normal full time employment. They used to be trained to a fairly high standard and fitted into the force as part time paid members. They generally operated from their local station and carried out duties alongside regular officers. They were issued uniform and rank, were subject to the police act. They also could be "called up" for continuous service when the demands on the force dictated.
Being paid, they could not be classified as "volunteers" which made them subject to regulation and disciplinary procedures and meant that they were required to fulfil certain obligations. However, they were people who chose to be involved and, as such, they tended to have quite a decent attitude towards their work and were often very dedicated.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police had a very effective reservist contingent inherited from the BSAP. In the early 80's, around the time of gukurahundi, the ZANU-PF government used this as one of their tools to start turning the police into a party militia. The first things that happened was that one had to have a zanu-pf party card in order to be eligible to join the police reserve. And so the rot set in. A number of individuals who really wanted to be reservists and involved actually joined the party and endured endless party meetings in order just to get in!
The reserve filled up with party members who saw it as a way to get into the regular force. Their dreams were, in fact, realised. During the late 80's and early 90's there was much talk about the scrapping of the reserve force altogether and all members were offered integration into the regular force. Many of these persons would not have survived the entry criteria and testing to which normal regular officers were subject. When I joined the force all manner of things were tested, health, minimum height, weight, education, fitness as well as all manner of psychometric testing as well as CID and police clearance for criminal records (I a m surprised they no longer pay attention to this aspect as it almost seems that being completely unsuitable for service and having a criminal record are pre- requisites for entry!).
The name of the police reserve was changed (late 80's, I think!), entry criteria began to fall away and, as funding within the force dropped (probably to accommodate the excesses of the elite!) training fell away. One merely had to approach and befriend the local CRLO (Community Relations Liaison Officer) at any station and the paper work would be completed, usually a lot faster if you "helped out with certain things" and presto - you would be a policeman! There were a number of young white Zimbabweans (as well as the odd foreigner!) who joined during this era, some of whom were not even over the of 18 years (the minimum age for joining since the scrapping of the cadet rank). Some of these people had a genuine interest in policing and many provided transport where the police had none and many managed to accumulate strong records of arrests. Many did not. And confusion reigned supreme. The neighbourhood watch scheme was introduced as a way of putting grass roots patrols back out on the streets (you recall from the official history I quoted - this was probably a duty considered "manual, dirty work!). Neighbourhood watch members were issued with force numbers (usually starting 080) and were imbued with the rank of constable. Their mandate was meant to be to patrol their local neighbour hood only and to apprehend and detain persons who may have been committing crime in that neighbourhood.
Well, most of the true neighbourhood watch work was actually done by domestic servants who patrolled diligently, provided and decent presence and made some good arrests. they acted as a very good deterrent.
Many of the younger whites who became involved with neighbourhood watch, suddenly saw themselves as crime fighters extraordinaire! They could be found producing their ID cards to gain entry to local nightclubs, rushing around with blue lights and generally creating a huge amount of confusion. Many of the A branch members of the Police Constabulary, as it became known fell in with this group. I have met many of these questionable quasi policemen who claim to be things like "vice squad", "drugs squad", "C.I.D." etc. And quite laughable, but also fairly dangerous. Many of these individuals had absolutely no idea about what forms were required for what, how to attend a crime scene, what the priorities at a road traffic accident were etc. And regular officers used to have to be in the duty uniform branch for at least two years and score consistent b's in their APR's to be considered for C.I.D. work. Many of the real A branch members who did a lot of good work found themselves confused with these self made "miami Vice" wannabes and suffered for it. Even the force itself has no clues what these members are or who they are now! There were one or two notable ex regular member who fought hard to maintain some form of policing, but alas, all have become mired in the absolute shambles that is the ZRP today.
Nowadays the regular members of the force have become so confused themselves as to who or what "policon" members are - generally speaking, if you are white, you are now regarded as being a member of the neighbourhood watch and the police constabulary no longer exists. They stopped paying members in about 1998 and with the need for pay records gone, record keeping dropped to match other areas of the force.
But then, the reserve had done its job - as a route for the party cadres into the force, without having to undergo anything as embarrassing as a set of tests to determine if they even had the ability and attitude to police! No surprise then that the quality of the force has crashed!
Later.
Thursday, 17 July 2008
Politics and Policing
Hello all,
I was considering policing and politics today - a very pertinent subject at this point in time. And it occurred to me that I stray very close to being "political" in my postings. I imaging that this is not without reason, but wrong nevertheless.
The Police Act (Cap 11:10) spells out quite clearly how police officers should approach their political beliefs, but I remember the lectures from my Depot days, where it was clearly explained. Basically a member of the force is entitled to attend any political meeting he/she wishes to when off duty, although not in uniform. He/she may listen to the address and, without identifying oneself as an officer, ask questions during the meeting. An officer may not address the meeting, nor take part nor hold any office in a political party. When in uniform and required to, as part of his/her duties, an officer may be present at a political meeting, but may not address the persons assembled, unless in the course of their duties, i.e. for safety or crowd disbursement requirements.
A police officer is not permitted to declare his or her political affiliations during the course of their duties nor make any statement related to his or her personal views or beliefs.
So I need to be quite circumspect in my approach to this blog. However, given that the law has been broken by the so-called Commissioner of Police and many of his deputies, given that it is largely considered that Mugabe and his junta are illegal, what credible right do they have to be in judgement of any of this? I would not be any better, however, if I indulged in political commentary myself and, therefore, will endeavour not to do so. I do, however, feel it correct for me to comment on the current situation as these would be my judgements as an officer. I f I were given the opportunity to make arrests related to the current behaviour of the various persons involved, these would be the judgements I would have to make and these would be the cases I would have to build in order to bring charges and prosecute the individuals in a court of law.
I have today, again been browsing the government website - in particular - the ZRPolice page. Like everything from Zim, it took forever to load!
I imagine that history is always written by the victors, but there are one or two statements in this published history which are news to me. In fact, I am unable to verify them one way or another and would welcome anyone who is able to cast any light, with some degree of proof, on this. It is stated:
The primary role of the black contigent, then known as the Black watchers, was to do all the manual dirty work considered unsuitable for the white superior race such as foot patrols, escorting sick horses on foot to the vet in then Salisbury, the capital city sometimes walking more than 300 kilometres. Under the supervision of the white officers, the Black watchers were also tasked to perform other barbaric acts like beating up and burning the houses of fellow blacks accused of having disobeyed the white man's rule.
Were the early pioneer police involved in acts that are described above? Is this an edited view taken out of context? I would really welcome any information. Are foot patrols, a basic tenant of policing, considered unsuitable for police officers? I wonder, since a great many of the forces vehicles have been destroyed, does that mean policing should stop, because foot patrols are "manual dirty work"?????
It goes on to state:
During the period of the federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Southern Rhodesia and Unilateral Declaration of Independence the police went through a number of changes due to socio-economic demands. The police was never disbanded but political changes usually compromised the standards of professional policing.
As much many who served during these times may vehemently deny this, there may be an argument to support this assertion in that, in many ways, a white persons' word may well have over ridden anything a black may have said. I doubt it was anything as pronounced as the lack of professionalism being displayed today and in recent years.
In 1980, Zimbabwe attained independence and the police force changed its name to the Zimbabwe Republic Police. Section 93 (1) of the Zimbabwe Constitution mandated the restructuring of the police force on professional lines as to provide the best service possible to earn the total satisfaction, confidence and support of the public.
Well, that has failed dismally hasn't it? I think what they mean is the total satisfaction, confidence and support of ZANU-PF and Mugabe. The police force has become a virtual arm of a political party and, in this light, the previous statement about compromising professional standards of policing is ridiculous!
Although the new look police force was formed with an amalgamation of the former British South Africa Police, The Zimbabwe National Liberation Army (ZANLA), Zimbabwe Peoples' Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) cadres and new civilian recruits, it has strived to maintain the professionalism, consistence and vibrancy required of a standard modern police force.
Again, a complete failure - professionalism? Can this possibly be maintained by a Commissioner who clearly has, as part of the much vaunted JOC, carried out a virtual coup and serves only the interest of the ZANU-PF elite. Can this possibly be maintained by a Commissioner who should be suspended for his own contraventions of the Police Act and should be under investigation for these allegations? Can this possibly be maintained by Officers who have forced their sub-ordinates to vote in front of them and then brought retribution on those who do not toe the party line?
Is it not sad to note that former Commissioner Widzirai Nguruve was forced to resign amid allegations of corruption, and now Chihuri is also in a position where he faces arrest? The rot starts at the top and needs to be cut out from there. I wonder, however, how possible this will be or how it will play out?
I have, on several occasions had the opportunity to meet a number of these officers of great rank and office and I have to say, the reek of corruption is tangible in their offices. The so-called Deputy Commissioners are also in this tank of political corruption, in fact, I wonder how far down the ranks one has to come to actually start finding professional officers who could be relied upon to help steer the force out of this morass? Mind you, so many of the real and professional officers will not be found in high office because it quite clear that in the ZRP of today, it is very difficult to climb the ranks on merit or ability - you have to first be loyal to ZANU-PF, then to those who are above you, are corrupt and in control of your career!
Later.
I was considering policing and politics today - a very pertinent subject at this point in time. And it occurred to me that I stray very close to being "political" in my postings. I imaging that this is not without reason, but wrong nevertheless.
The Police Act (Cap 11:10) spells out quite clearly how police officers should approach their political beliefs, but I remember the lectures from my Depot days, where it was clearly explained. Basically a member of the force is entitled to attend any political meeting he/she wishes to when off duty, although not in uniform. He/she may listen to the address and, without identifying oneself as an officer, ask questions during the meeting. An officer may not address the meeting, nor take part nor hold any office in a political party. When in uniform and required to, as part of his/her duties, an officer may be present at a political meeting, but may not address the persons assembled, unless in the course of their duties, i.e. for safety or crowd disbursement requirements.
A police officer is not permitted to declare his or her political affiliations during the course of their duties nor make any statement related to his or her personal views or beliefs.
So I need to be quite circumspect in my approach to this blog. However, given that the law has been broken by the so-called Commissioner of Police and many of his deputies, given that it is largely considered that Mugabe and his junta are illegal, what credible right do they have to be in judgement of any of this? I would not be any better, however, if I indulged in political commentary myself and, therefore, will endeavour not to do so. I do, however, feel it correct for me to comment on the current situation as these would be my judgements as an officer. I f I were given the opportunity to make arrests related to the current behaviour of the various persons involved, these would be the judgements I would have to make and these would be the cases I would have to build in order to bring charges and prosecute the individuals in a court of law.
I have today, again been browsing the government website - in particular - the ZRPolice page. Like everything from Zim, it took forever to load!
I imagine that history is always written by the victors, but there are one or two statements in this published history which are news to me. In fact, I am unable to verify them one way or another and would welcome anyone who is able to cast any light, with some degree of proof, on this. It is stated:
The primary role of the black contigent, then known as the Black watchers, was to do all the manual dirty work considered unsuitable for the white superior race such as foot patrols, escorting sick horses on foot to the vet in then Salisbury, the capital city sometimes walking more than 300 kilometres. Under the supervision of the white officers, the Black watchers were also tasked to perform other barbaric acts like beating up and burning the houses of fellow blacks accused of having disobeyed the white man's rule.
Were the early pioneer police involved in acts that are described above? Is this an edited view taken out of context? I would really welcome any information. Are foot patrols, a basic tenant of policing, considered unsuitable for police officers? I wonder, since a great many of the forces vehicles have been destroyed, does that mean policing should stop, because foot patrols are "manual dirty work"?????
It goes on to state:
During the period of the federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Southern Rhodesia and Unilateral Declaration of Independence the police went through a number of changes due to socio-economic demands. The police was never disbanded but political changes usually compromised the standards of professional policing.
As much many who served during these times may vehemently deny this, there may be an argument to support this assertion in that, in many ways, a white persons' word may well have over ridden anything a black may have said. I doubt it was anything as pronounced as the lack of professionalism being displayed today and in recent years.
In 1980, Zimbabwe attained independence and the police force changed its name to the Zimbabwe Republic Police. Section 93 (1) of the Zimbabwe Constitution mandated the restructuring of the police force on professional lines as to provide the best service possible to earn the total satisfaction, confidence and support of the public.
Well, that has failed dismally hasn't it? I think what they mean is the total satisfaction, confidence and support of ZANU-PF and Mugabe. The police force has become a virtual arm of a political party and, in this light, the previous statement about compromising professional standards of policing is ridiculous!
Although the new look police force was formed with an amalgamation of the former British South Africa Police, The Zimbabwe National Liberation Army (ZANLA), Zimbabwe Peoples' Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) cadres and new civilian recruits, it has strived to maintain the professionalism, consistence and vibrancy required of a standard modern police force.
Again, a complete failure - professionalism? Can this possibly be maintained by a Commissioner who clearly has, as part of the much vaunted JOC, carried out a virtual coup and serves only the interest of the ZANU-PF elite. Can this possibly be maintained by a Commissioner who should be suspended for his own contraventions of the Police Act and should be under investigation for these allegations? Can this possibly be maintained by Officers who have forced their sub-ordinates to vote in front of them and then brought retribution on those who do not toe the party line?
Is it not sad to note that former Commissioner Widzirai Nguruve was forced to resign amid allegations of corruption, and now Chihuri is also in a position where he faces arrest? The rot starts at the top and needs to be cut out from there. I wonder, however, how possible this will be or how it will play out?
I have, on several occasions had the opportunity to meet a number of these officers of great rank and office and I have to say, the reek of corruption is tangible in their offices. The so-called Deputy Commissioners are also in this tank of political corruption, in fact, I wonder how far down the ranks one has to come to actually start finding professional officers who could be relied upon to help steer the force out of this morass? Mind you, so many of the real and professional officers will not be found in high office because it quite clear that in the ZRP of today, it is very difficult to climb the ranks on merit or ability - you have to first be loyal to ZANU-PF, then to those who are above you, are corrupt and in control of your career!
Later.
Monday, 14 July 2008
The Herald
Hello all,
I decided, for a laugh, to read what the venerable ZANU-PF news paper was carrying today in terms of "news". Bear in mind that I use the term loosely!
The first thing that caught my eye was an address by David Karimanzira - illegal governor of the Harare Metropolitan Province. In this report he thanks the people for voting overwhelmingly for Mugabe's illegal government in the so called run off elections. Amongst other things, He said some of the people who had voted for MDC-T during the March 29 joint presidential, parliamentary and council elections had realised afterwards that the opposition was being used by Britain and its Western allies to effect illegal regime change in the country.
Cde Karimanzira said when voting, people should know who they would be voting for and not to sell the country to the former colonisers who still had a hidden agenda to occupy Zimbabwe.
Hmmm... does anyone, including him believe this clap trap???? The people who voted for Tsvangirai were only forced to vote for Mugabe because they were being killed and tortured, because they knew that they were being watched, because they knew the vote was far from secret and so on and on. He should also be aware that people of Zimbabwe voted LEGALLY for regime change - and the junta now in Harare couldn't be more illegal!
I am sure people are becoming very tired of the old chimurenga line of the colonialists trying to get Zimbabwe back - I am sure they are quite clear by now that if the former colonialists had any interest in Zimbabwe (which may have been the case if there was oil there!), they would have simply walked in and taken it! The Zimbabwe National Army is an ancient collection of equipment wielded by people only unafraid of unarmed civilians! A proper army would take them apart in five minutes - and probably because most of them would not have any desire to fight to prop Mugabe and the elite up! In fact, I imagine that the generals would be running for the hills.
He also went on to say:
"As part of its ongoing empowerment initiative, Zanu-PF has put in place a bold legislative dispensation to ensure that Zimbabweans own at least 51 percent of strategic companies across the national economy. This programme is ready for implementation,"
This would be similar to the bold legislative moves that destroyed the country's agricultural sector and, in turn the economy! Really, what he means is that as the economy no longer functions and taxes and duties are no longer there to pay for the lavish life styles of the elite, this is the last stuff they can grab. Although I suspect that personal property will be next on the list!
I will drop in tomorrow for another instalment!
Later.
I decided, for a laugh, to read what the venerable ZANU-PF news paper was carrying today in terms of "news". Bear in mind that I use the term loosely!
The first thing that caught my eye was an address by David Karimanzira - illegal governor of the Harare Metropolitan Province. In this report he thanks the people for voting overwhelmingly for Mugabe's illegal government in the so called run off elections. Amongst other things, He said some of the people who had voted for MDC-T during the March 29 joint presidential, parliamentary and council elections had realised afterwards that the opposition was being used by Britain and its Western allies to effect illegal regime change in the country.
Cde Karimanzira said when voting, people should know who they would be voting for and not to sell the country to the former colonisers who still had a hidden agenda to occupy Zimbabwe.
Hmmm... does anyone, including him believe this clap trap???? The people who voted for Tsvangirai were only forced to vote for Mugabe because they were being killed and tortured, because they knew that they were being watched, because they knew the vote was far from secret and so on and on. He should also be aware that people of Zimbabwe voted LEGALLY for regime change - and the junta now in Harare couldn't be more illegal!
I am sure people are becoming very tired of the old chimurenga line of the colonialists trying to get Zimbabwe back - I am sure they are quite clear by now that if the former colonialists had any interest in Zimbabwe (which may have been the case if there was oil there!), they would have simply walked in and taken it! The Zimbabwe National Army is an ancient collection of equipment wielded by people only unafraid of unarmed civilians! A proper army would take them apart in five minutes - and probably because most of them would not have any desire to fight to prop Mugabe and the elite up! In fact, I imagine that the generals would be running for the hills.
He also went on to say:
"As part of its ongoing empowerment initiative, Zanu-PF has put in place a bold legislative dispensation to ensure that Zimbabweans own at least 51 percent of strategic companies across the national economy. This programme is ready for implementation,"
This would be similar to the bold legislative moves that destroyed the country's agricultural sector and, in turn the economy! Really, what he means is that as the economy no longer functions and taxes and duties are no longer there to pay for the lavish life styles of the elite, this is the last stuff they can grab. Although I suspect that personal property will be next on the list!
I will drop in tomorrow for another instalment!
Later.
Sunday, 13 July 2008
Back Online! Experiences.
Hello All,
Apologies for a lengthy delay - many issues have had to be sorted out and, now as they have been done, regular contributions should return!
I have decided today, to try and keep my review of the news to a minimum - after all, there are many already out there. I must say that TBM carries an interesting report about ZANU-PF youths and militia - the erstwhile "veterans" (what an insult to actual veterans!lol) are being arrested - and they are feeling quite wretched about it all! TBM quotes a report in which one criminal is quoted as saying this:
Some of the revanchist youths say they have nowhere to turn to, as the politicians who were mobilising them to perpetrate violence, are nowhere to be found.
"The police are arresting us saying we were breaking the law and nobody had the right to instruct us to do that. Most of my friends have been arrested, while several others have fled homes as they are the target of attack from the relatives of those people that they killed or beat up during the campaigns," said one youth who was operating from a base at Mupandawana growth point.
"We were so foolish as to beat up our neighbours and relatives. Now they are not willing to help us if we have a genuine problem. We feel we have been used."
Hahahahaha! I must admit, I found myself rolling on the floor with tears rolling down my face at this!
The really not funny part of this is that real and good people have paid with their lives. I note the criminal quoted says he feels he has been used - welcome to your beloved comrade Bob's dust republic! (I had thought to call it a "banana republic, but then remembered that there are no bananas. Or anything else!).
Clearly the police are to blame in this situation also. But what is does say, quite loudly, is that the few at the top are the ones who are causing the problem - but the sheep, and in this I include members of the police and army etc, are just too weak to stand up to them. If they all, with one accord, stood their ground and said NO - this rubbish would be over by now. Of course, Mugabe's divide and rule tactic is still the single most effective weapon keeping him and his cronies in power. Opposition to Mugabe must learn to unite - then we would see precisely how small his little band are. But, of course, they have all the money that has been pinched from the people and the country.
and this brings me on to the latest report on Zimbabwe from SA News 24:
Zim rivals 'closer to serious talks'
I truly hope the opposition realises during it's negotiations that South Africa's idiot president does not have long left in office - and that his replacement is likely to change the balance of power significantly. That should give them the strength to get the right outcome from the talks with Mugabe's illegal junta.
You know, Mugabe and co MUST see the writing on the wall, mind you, they have demonstrated an enviable tenacity (which is not hard given the pathetic response from the world leaders!) and when the farm invasions all kicked off the beginning of this dark chapter of Zimbabwe's history, we all thought back then that world would not stand by and let Mugabe get away with it. Again. Like we did during gukuranhundi. Like we did when the so called liberation forces attacked and killed the weak and innocent and shot down passenger aircraft. I wonder when we will all give up the hope and actually do something.
I know that there are many suitably angry members of the forces poised to get rid of these carbuncles, although they have stayed their hand pending positive moves that we are all hanging onto.
I wonder by what legal right and tenant Mugabe feels he and his greedy, genocidal cronies feel they have the right to negotiate about anything to do with the presidency and parliament of the government? I guess none, just the death grip they have on all the instruments of state which they have corrupted to their own ends. This is no longer even remotely about colonisation (if it ever was) or land or anything else other than greed and corruption.
I remember during my earlier years some of the contrasts I saw in Zimbabwe. Like the night (circa 1987) my wonderful Peugeot 404 broke down mid way between Bulawayo and Harare (heading for a hot date!lol). The water pump died. 22:00hrs 10 km's from Battlefields Police.. so, as any policeman would, I managed to limp the car to the police station. When I arrived there, there were several National Army vehicles and quite a number of soldiers overnighting there. These soldiers came over and used a serious amount of mechanical expertise to remove the water pump, make a new gasket out of a chibuku packet, refit the pump and reset the points gap using a hacksaw blade. And they fed me (bearing in mind actually, that I was not in uniform and was just another white guy driving his car) and did everything they could to help me out and get me on my way. I remember that, at the time, we whites were not particularly sure of the army, and I thought a huge request of payment or some such would be forthcoming. But no, all they said to me was please could I organise some donations of some magazines for them to read in their bases when away from home!!
So where are these soldiers? Where are the constable from Ngundu Halt police post who gave me place to sleep and food on New Years' eve the year before when I was hitching to Beit Bridge - or indeed the many, many soldiers who gave me lifts ( as a white hitch hiker) over the years?
Are all the members of the forces bad? Given my personal experiences, which are at odds with most of the stories I ever heard from other whites), I cannot imagine that they are all bad guys who want Mugabe to stay.
In October last year I stopped next to a police Landrover defender ( I was in civvies) and I smiled at the sergeant driving and said, "hows it going?" and he said to me, "ah, we are suffering. Help us to change things!" The lights changed and off we roared..
There have been contrasts and there are not all good guys. I had to arrest two constables one night who were liberally swinging a riot baton amongst the commuters in an ET (also in October) and I remember the return trip from my hot Harare date (of the 404 story) - I was hiking because the car had to wait for a new pump. I got stuck at Kadoma where, naturally, I went to the cop shop. I was given a bench to doss on in the Charge Office. Whilst I was there I recall a farmer calling in because there was a brawl in the farm compound. The fat, lazy sergeant who answered the phone said there no transport and the farmer should sort it out! About 40 minutes later, the farmer called again to say that one of the protagonists had managed to kill the other. The sergeant heaved a sigh of resignation, got off his back side and went to attend the scene - in the vehicle which had been parked outside the charge office all along. It gave me great pleasure to write a report for the officer in charge who had to then attend and was not best pleased that his slumber was interrupted!
I think the unfortunate sergeant received 30 days not to count for pay along with a discharge.
Well, enough reminiscences from me for today! I hope to introduce new feature soon which I will call the real police spokesman. I will review that Mugabe militia loyalist spokesman Wayne Bvudzjena's comments - and make what I think should be a correct police response.
Later.
Apologies for a lengthy delay - many issues have had to be sorted out and, now as they have been done, regular contributions should return!
I have decided today, to try and keep my review of the news to a minimum - after all, there are many already out there. I must say that TBM carries an interesting report about ZANU-PF youths and militia - the erstwhile "veterans" (what an insult to actual veterans!lol) are being arrested - and they are feeling quite wretched about it all! TBM quotes a report in which one criminal is quoted as saying this:
Some of the revanchist youths say they have nowhere to turn to, as the politicians who were mobilising them to perpetrate violence, are nowhere to be found.
"The police are arresting us saying we were breaking the law and nobody had the right to instruct us to do that. Most of my friends have been arrested, while several others have fled homes as they are the target of attack from the relatives of those people that they killed or beat up during the campaigns," said one youth who was operating from a base at Mupandawana growth point.
"We were so foolish as to beat up our neighbours and relatives. Now they are not willing to help us if we have a genuine problem. We feel we have been used."
Hahahahaha! I must admit, I found myself rolling on the floor with tears rolling down my face at this!
The really not funny part of this is that real and good people have paid with their lives. I note the criminal quoted says he feels he has been used - welcome to your beloved comrade Bob's dust republic! (I had thought to call it a "banana republic, but then remembered that there are no bananas. Or anything else!).
Clearly the police are to blame in this situation also. But what is does say, quite loudly, is that the few at the top are the ones who are causing the problem - but the sheep, and in this I include members of the police and army etc, are just too weak to stand up to them. If they all, with one accord, stood their ground and said NO - this rubbish would be over by now. Of course, Mugabe's divide and rule tactic is still the single most effective weapon keeping him and his cronies in power. Opposition to Mugabe must learn to unite - then we would see precisely how small his little band are. But, of course, they have all the money that has been pinched from the people and the country.
and this brings me on to the latest report on Zimbabwe from SA News 24:
Zim rivals 'closer to serious talks'
I truly hope the opposition realises during it's negotiations that South Africa's idiot president does not have long left in office - and that his replacement is likely to change the balance of power significantly. That should give them the strength to get the right outcome from the talks with Mugabe's illegal junta.
You know, Mugabe and co MUST see the writing on the wall, mind you, they have demonstrated an enviable tenacity (which is not hard given the pathetic response from the world leaders!) and when the farm invasions all kicked off the beginning of this dark chapter of Zimbabwe's history, we all thought back then that world would not stand by and let Mugabe get away with it. Again. Like we did during gukuranhundi. Like we did when the so called liberation forces attacked and killed the weak and innocent and shot down passenger aircraft. I wonder when we will all give up the hope and actually do something.
I know that there are many suitably angry members of the forces poised to get rid of these carbuncles, although they have stayed their hand pending positive moves that we are all hanging onto.
I wonder by what legal right and tenant Mugabe feels he and his greedy, genocidal cronies feel they have the right to negotiate about anything to do with the presidency and parliament of the government? I guess none, just the death grip they have on all the instruments of state which they have corrupted to their own ends. This is no longer even remotely about colonisation (if it ever was) or land or anything else other than greed and corruption.
I remember during my earlier years some of the contrasts I saw in Zimbabwe. Like the night (circa 1987) my wonderful Peugeot 404 broke down mid way between Bulawayo and Harare (heading for a hot date!lol). The water pump died. 22:00hrs 10 km's from Battlefields Police.. so, as any policeman would, I managed to limp the car to the police station. When I arrived there, there were several National Army vehicles and quite a number of soldiers overnighting there. These soldiers came over and used a serious amount of mechanical expertise to remove the water pump, make a new gasket out of a chibuku packet, refit the pump and reset the points gap using a hacksaw blade. And they fed me (bearing in mind actually, that I was not in uniform and was just another white guy driving his car) and did everything they could to help me out and get me on my way. I remember that, at the time, we whites were not particularly sure of the army, and I thought a huge request of payment or some such would be forthcoming. But no, all they said to me was please could I organise some donations of some magazines for them to read in their bases when away from home!!
So where are these soldiers? Where are the constable from Ngundu Halt police post who gave me place to sleep and food on New Years' eve the year before when I was hitching to Beit Bridge - or indeed the many, many soldiers who gave me lifts ( as a white hitch hiker) over the years?
Are all the members of the forces bad? Given my personal experiences, which are at odds with most of the stories I ever heard from other whites), I cannot imagine that they are all bad guys who want Mugabe to stay.
In October last year I stopped next to a police Landrover defender ( I was in civvies) and I smiled at the sergeant driving and said, "hows it going?" and he said to me, "ah, we are suffering. Help us to change things!" The lights changed and off we roared..
There have been contrasts and there are not all good guys. I had to arrest two constables one night who were liberally swinging a riot baton amongst the commuters in an ET (also in October) and I remember the return trip from my hot Harare date (of the 404 story) - I was hiking because the car had to wait for a new pump. I got stuck at Kadoma where, naturally, I went to the cop shop. I was given a bench to doss on in the Charge Office. Whilst I was there I recall a farmer calling in because there was a brawl in the farm compound. The fat, lazy sergeant who answered the phone said there no transport and the farmer should sort it out! About 40 minutes later, the farmer called again to say that one of the protagonists had managed to kill the other. The sergeant heaved a sigh of resignation, got off his back side and went to attend the scene - in the vehicle which had been parked outside the charge office all along. It gave me great pleasure to write a report for the officer in charge who had to then attend and was not best pleased that his slumber was interrupted!
I think the unfortunate sergeant received 30 days not to count for pay along with a discharge.
Well, enough reminiscences from me for today! I hope to introduce new feature soon which I will call the real police spokesman. I will review that Mugabe militia loyalist spokesman Wayne Bvudzjena's comments - and make what I think should be a correct police response.
Later.
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