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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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