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Makone backs Chihuri

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Home Affairs co-minister Theresa Makone has told Parliament there is nothing wrong with the appointment of Commissioner-General of Police Augustine Chihuri by President Robert Mugabe. Makone, who was responding to a question by Makoni South MP Pishai Muchauraya (MDC-T) on whether or not Chihuri’s contract renewal was legal, said the issue had been dealt with […]

Home Affairs co-minister Theresa Makone has told Parliament there is nothing wrong with the appointment of Commissioner-General of Police Augustine Chihuri by President Robert Mugabe.

Makone, who was responding to a question by Makoni South MP Pishai Muchauraya (MDC-T) on whether or not Chihuri’s contract renewal was legal, said the issue had been dealt with by the principals of the inclusive government.

Makone is a member of the national executive committee of the MDC-T which rejected Mugabe’s February reappointment of Chihuri whose contract had expired in December last year.

In February, principals in the inclusive government — Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara — met for a National Security Council meeting that discussed, among other issues, Chihuri’s fate.

Tsvangirai and Mutambara emerged from the meeting claiming Chihuri could not be appointed substantive Police Commissioner-General, but in an acting capacity.

But, Makone on Wednesday maintained that according to her knowledge, the Chihuri issue had since been finalised by the three principals.

“There was controversy, I think sometime at the beginning of the year, as to what the real status was and my understanding was that the question was dealt with by the principals, namely, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, the Right Honourable Prime Minister of the Republic of Zimbabwe and the Honourable Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Zimbabwe,” Makone said.

“Together with my colleague, Kembo Mohadi, we have not been advised that Chihuri is no longer Commissioner-General of the ZRP. We take it that between them they have agreed that he is duly appointed and until such time as we are told otherwise, we leave it right there,” said Makone. However, MDC-T spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora yesterday said the position of his party was that Chihuri was in office in an acting capacity.

“The position is that at best, Chihuri is acting because the (two) principals (Tsvangirai and Mutambara) met and held a joint Press conference where they released results of their meeting,” Mwonzora said.

“If Chihuri was then made substantive Commissioner by Mugabe, then it was a unilateral decision which is null and void.”