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It is unsurprising that the public was quick to believe claims that a baby had been killed because the claims were not inconsistent with the known behaviour of the Zimbabwe Republic Police. They are known to kill, in addition to their indiscriminate use of force. 1/
The speedy response by the police clarifying that the baby was not dead and had only been treated for injuries is welcome. However, it raises questions about killings reported by the mainstream media to which the police have not offered an explanation. 2/
The police should conduct their duties in conformance with the law and take action against rogue officers. Assuming Zanu PF will be in power forever – and with it, impunity – is a mistake. This is particularly true of Matanga who will likely still be alive to face justice. 3/
The police officers who acquiesce to abuses by their colleagues and subordinates, despite it being their responsibility to take action, are unlikely to have a future in the police. They have failed in their oath and cannot purport to have been maintaining law and order. 4/
Those directly involved in abuses against the population could find themselves facing justice a decade from now. The history of dictatorship has no happy endings. It would be wise for the police to separate themselves from the crimes being perpetrated by Mnangagwa’s govt. 5/
The intelligence operatives behind the abduction and torture of Tawanda Muchehiwa are known by good guys inside the system. They too will eventually face justice even if they choose to comfort themselves with the lie that they are the exception of history. 6/
This is particularly true for officers under the age of 60. Unlike Mnangagwa, they will likely live to see a free Zimbabwe. Those in charge of these security arms are unlikely to escape prosecution for crimes committed under their watch. Their inaction indicates complicity. 7/
In February 2019, police officers were part of a ferret team that was arrested after attacking a shebeen in Mbare. One police officer, Sergeant Mushosho, told investigators he had been instructed to “harass opposition supporters.” The Prosecutor General withdrew the charges. 8/
The police have made no effort to investigate Sergeant Mushosho’s claim that he was ordered by his superiors to attack opposition supporters. In the inevitable future, police chiefs will not be able to claim that they were ignorant of these things. 9/
Nazi war criminals are still being prosecuted to this day, even *guards* are being convicted. A similar end awaits officers who allow their subordinates to kill and maim civilians. Time sneaks up on all of us – that time will come. This knowledge should moderate behaviour. /10
In May 2020, Bulawayo police shot and killed Paul Munakopa. Police were travelling in an unmarked private vehicle when they accosted an unarmed Munakopa who was with his girlfriend. The police officers responsible for the murder have not been held accountable. /11
In May 2020, Bulawayo police brutally assaulted two sisters for allegedly violating lockdown regulations. They were going to the supermarket to purchase supplies. The police officers responsible for that attack remain at work, they have not been sanctioned. /12
In June 2020, Bulawayo police shot and seriously injured Emmanuel Mavunge after they opened fire on his vehicle without warning. The police officers responsible for that shooting have not been sanctioned and remain at work. /13
In November 2020, an officer from the police Support Unit shot and killed 26-year-old Lodrick Matsweru after he opened the door in response to their knock. It turned out to be a case of mistaken identity. Police have not apologised or offered compensation to the family. /14
In December 2020, police shot and seriously injured a pregnant woman, Sithembiso Moyo, who had boarded a public transport vehicle that was later alleged to have been stolen. The driver and his accomplice fled the scene. Police have not taken responsibility. /15
On August 1, 2018 police and soldiers shot and killed six people and injured many others. A commission of enquiry found them responsible for the killings despite claims of a third force. Two and a half years later, nobody has been held to account for those killings. /16
In January 2019, 17 people were killed by police and soldiers; hundreds of others reported brutal assaults and rapes. In court documents, the ferret team responsible said it had been operating under instruction to “harass opposition supporters”. /17
In August 2020, police opened fire on unarmed coke vendors in Hwange. Two women were shot and injured. Police did not explain why live ammunition was being used to disperse unarmed civilians. The responsible officers remain on the job. /18
The facts are clear enough. Those in power believe there is no evidence of their violations. It is there aplenty. The world is watching and there will eventually be a day of reckoning, particularly for the younger ones. /19
In 2019, the Zimbabwe Peace Project identified the ZRP and Zanu PF as the top human rights abusers in the country, accounting for 71% of reported abuses. These reports might appear ineffectual to the police, and Zanu PF, but it is merely a matter of time. /20
