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Bindura
public meeting: TI-Z condemns police behaviour in Bindura
Transparency
International - Zimbabwe (TI-Z)
November 03, 2010
The credibility
of some state institutions dealing with the justice delivery system
has hit rock bottom. Nevertheless, it appears some have started
digging. On Friday 29 October 2010 in Bindura at the Cocoanut Conference
Centre, TI-Z held a public meeting to provide a platform to different
stakeholders to interrogate the issue of massive corruption levelled
against the local authorities in the town. The meeting had very
good representation from the local authorities, civil society and
members of the public. Angry with the open nature of the discussions,
some Bindura ZRP police officers detained the TI-Z team for several
hours at Bindura central police station under spurious allegations
of 'diverting from the original agenda of the meeting to discussing
national issues'.
As the discussion
around corruption in local government continued, it became apparent
from the participants point of view that challenges in Bindura are
partly a symptom of the weakness of the current constitution that
give sweeping powers to the Minister of Local Government and the
Executive in general. Tellingly, the Minister has appointed an 'Investigations
Commission' which hasn't lived up to public expectations
thus exasperating the participants of the day and many other residents
of Bindura who consistently report to TI-Z ALAC department. Indeed
local challenges in most towns are influenced or even caused by
national events and processes hence the need for a broader analysis
of the background of the so-called 'local issues'.
TI-Z condemns
this assault on civil liberties and reiterates the need for the
following;
- Repeal of
POSA as
it unreasonably restricts freedom of expression and assembly.
- The need
for preserving freedom to express one's ideas and to associate
with people of choice without fear of victimisation. National
healing requires hones and open discussion of experiences in this
transitionary period.
- More investigative
reports around corruption especially in police. TI-Z commends
the gallant journalists and other civil society organisations
who continue to expose police corruption.
- The need
to keep documenting and building evidence of police involvement
in corruption. The day of reckoning for all perpetrators of violence
and corruption shall surely come. However, justice can only be
made possible when credible evidence is build overtime.
- Keep erupting
over corruption!
Visit the TI-Z
fact
sheet
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