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Mnangagwa misleads nation on security sector realignment
Movement
for Democratic Change
April
04, 2013
The MDC dismisses
the futile attempts by Emmerson Mnangagwa, the Zanu PF’s secretary
for legal affairs in misleading the nation that security sector
realignment is not part of the Global
Political Agreement (GPA).
For the record
the GPA in Article XIII (13.10) State organisations and institutions
of which the army, police, prisons and the Central Intelligence
Organisation are part of, do not belong to any political party and
should be impartial in the discharge of their duties.
In the same
Article, the GPA also calls for the inclusion in the training of
members of the uniformed forces of the subjects on human rights,
international humanitarian law and statute law so that there is
greater understanding and full appreciation of their roles and duties
in a multi-party democratic system, ensuring that all State organs
and institutions strictly observe the principles of the Rule of
Law and remain non-partisan and impartial.
Contrary to
Mnangagwa’s unsubstantiated lies, the above Article clearly
show that some State security organs are clearly operating against
the laws of the country.
The recent clampdown
by the police on human rights defenders, lawyers, journalists and
MDC members is an indication that the security sector in Zimbabwe
is operating in a partisan manner in total disregard of the GPA
principles.
In February,
the police were clearly biased when they carried out a shoddy job
in investigating the callous murder of 12 year Christpowers Masimba
Maisiri in an obvious arson attack in Headlands.
The fact is
clear that state institutions and organs must be impartial and must
serve the people. The police must be a people police. The army must
be a people’s army. The CIO must be a people’s CIO.
The issue of
security sector re-alignment has also been included in the new Constitution
expected to be approved in Parliament next month.
“Members
of the security services must act in accordance with this Constitution
and law. Neither the security services nor any of their members’
army, in the exercise of their functions’ – act in a
partisan manner; further the interests of any political party or
cause; prejudice the lawful interests of any political party or
cause,” reads part of the new Constitution.
This is why
the MDC is calling for security sector realignment before holding
free and fair elections next year because Zimbabweans need a more
serious security sector. A security force that recognises the need
for security of the person as well as the collective national security
and places its highest priority in ensuring that this security is
provided regardless of the different political persuasions of the
people.
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