Provincial
Highlights
7.2
Mashonaland
Central
The Zanu PF conference
held in the capital of
Mashonaland Central
province, Bindura, was the
highlight of the month.
During the run up to the Zanu PF
conference, police officers were
arrested and taken to court for
allegedly disrupting a Zanu PF meeting
and assaulting party members in
Bindura.
Prior to the conference, there was a
surge in cases of civil and political
human rights violations as party
officials concluded their district and
provincial election processes.
Makotose was transferred to
Manicaland while Pauta was transferred
to Midlands and the President is
reported to have suspended acting
The charge sheet further read: “The
Officer in Charge Bindura Rural for
accused also set the police dogs and
allegedly failing to control police
released tear smoke on the
officers who assaulted Zanu PF officials.
complainants which caused
A female cop identified as Inspector
pandemonium at the business centre.
Phiri was allegedly summoned at State
By so doing, the accused forcibly and, to House together with Minister of Home
a serious extent, disturbed peace,
Affairs Kazembe and other top cops to
security or order of the public and
explain what happened and it is
violated the rights of the complainants. understood she was verbally
The matter is still pending in the courts suspended.
and ZPP has been informed that some
As part of the run up to the Zanu PF
senior police officers in Bindura were
conference, a councillor only identified
transferred to other areas as a result of as Nyanhete reportedly forced villagers
the case.
to contribute ZWL 50.00 per household
According to a leaked police document towards the conference and threatened
that those who did not contribute
dated October 11, an officer
risked being dropped from the list of
commanding Mashonaland Central
beneficiaries of government inputs.
province Commissioner Priscilla
In a controversial case which exposes
Zanu PF capture of state institutors, on
11 October a police officer stationed in
Mt Darwin was hauled before the police
tribunal for posting a WhatsApp status
in which he was singing along to a
gospel song “Munyu Hauchavava”,
which directly translates to “the salt is
no longer salty” and has been used by
some to describe the deteriorating state
of affairs in Zimbabwe. Constable
Spenser Chitere (+/-35) was accused of
displaying materials of political
significance in contravention of the
Police Act. He was represented by the
Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum,
of which ZPP is a member. The case is
still pending at the courts.
According to the charge sheet, the 15
officers, who were unprovoked,
disembarked from their motor vehicles
and indiscriminately assaulted the
complainants using batons.
Makotose and one Superintendent J
Pauta of police intelligence were
transferred from the province.
Home Affairs Minister Kazembe
allegedly ordered the police to drop
charges against Zanu PF officials who
resisted arrest and attacked the same
police officers who were arrested.