ZR Police "Defend" Their Actions

In Zimbabwe, it is almost a prerequisite that the Zimbabwe Republic Police overreact to any public meeting, be it sanctioned or not, and their handling of a prayer meeting over the weekend by hurling tear gas canisters into the church to effect a mass exodus, is just one such example.

Police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena is a curious figure. He was involved in a vehicle accident a few years agao whilst drunk, skidding off the raod and knocking down a child. He scooped the child up and drove off, only to dump the child's deceased body further up the road, and he hastily left the scene.

He has never been charged with any wrongdoing, so his alliance to Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri or Robert Mugabe's ZANU PF party is unquestionable. It is his insurance policy to not being charged with the death of the child.

And I don't think that Bvudzijena actually understood the question. He makes no effort to defend the actions of the police force, and gives the reader no reason as to why the police deemed it necessary to teargas a church meeting, or why people are routinely beaten when leaving any public meeting - even if that meeting has been approved by the police.

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"Police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena has angrily rejected Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's assertions that police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri was in serious breach of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) by continuing to order violent disruptions of MDC activities.

"There is nothing to talk about," Bvudzijena said as soon as he was told about the MDC allegations.

"If people violate the law do you want us to leave them?" However, when told that the police were disrupting meetings which they themselves had approved, he maintained: "We're just enforcing the law. The law is very clear."

When pressed on why the police were using violence and disproportionate force to disperse peaceful gatherings, Bvudzijena said: "We're not inhuman." But when asked why ZANU PF was allowed to hold meetings without police approval, Bvudzijena switched off the phone."

Now there's a very mature reaction... turning off his phone when he has failed to explain himself.

If a meeting has been approved, then why does it have to be policed? And Bvudzijena states, "The law is very clear". What law has been broken at these approved meetings that warrants the police to beat and arrest people?

I find it of huge interest that Bvudzijena elected to switch off his phone when asked about ZANU PF and their applications for permission to hold public meetings...

I don't believe that ZANU PF applies for permission for any meetings...

"Zimbabwe is again in crisis after the police acted heavy-handedly to disrupt MDC meetings across the country last weekend. Two pastors and 11 congregants were arrested and an MDC youth leader disappeared after the cops raided a prayer meeting in Glen Norah.

A memorial service at Warren Hills cemetery, attended by Tsvangirai was similarly disrupted by the police and ZANU PF youths throwing stones, while several sanctioned meetings around the country were stopped. The MDC's provincial elections in Bulawayo could not be completed after the police moved in to stop the meeting.

The police actions are part of concerns raised by the MDC at a recent meeting of SADC. Although President Robert Mugabe had agreed to abide by the regional body’s ruling that he must rein in his forces, the situation appears to have worsened since the meeting two weeks ago."

And why is it necessary for the police to be accompanied by ZANU PF youth? How is it acceptable to the police that the youths are throwing stones and participating in the violence?

No wonder he put down the telephone...

Robb WJ Ellis

The Bearded Man