The Sunday morning police raid at Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s private communications offices in the capital a day after a peaceful constitutional referendum raises eyebrows and gives currency to the need for urgent security sector realignment.
NewsDay Editorial
Officers from the Law and Order Department arrested four MDC staffers for allegedly impersonating the police while human rights lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa was also arrested for alleged obstruction of justice during the swoop.
The High Court has since ordered the immediate release of Mtetwa, while the MDC employees would appear in court soon on charges whose specifics are yet to be disclosed.
We are not against the police arresting suspects from the MDC-T or any other political party or formation. We are against a police force which is biased in discharging its duties, a force that is partisan and bent on uttering political propaganda.
We are also saddened that Tsvangirai seems to be a mere spectator of the drama unfolding in front of him. It, at this late hour, is dawning on the premier that he lacks structural power and that his party and the other MDC formation were never equal partners in the inclusive government.
From what the police have told the nation, there is no compelling case against the MDC officials to warrant an early morning raid at their homes and Tsvangirai’s private home.
We are alarmed by the speed at which the police spring into action when MDC activists are suspected of committing an offence and we are equally shocked by how lethargic they become if Zanu PF members are suspects.
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How many years have passed with the police failing to bring to book the alleged murderer of MDC-T’s Talent Mabika and Tichaona Chiminya in 2008? The High Court has ruled that Central Intelligence Organisation spy Joseph Mwale has a case to answer, but he is still a free man — confirming the ordinary people’s fears that Zanu PF activists are above the law and that the police are biased.
It is also laughable that Mtetwa was arrested for discharging her duties. Any lawyer worth his or her salt has the right to demand a search warrant if his or her clients are raided in a fascist-style. When police harass and arrest lawyers, it’s clear professionalism has been scarified for political expediency. A police force of that nature needs urgent reforms.
We agree absolutely with South African President Jacob Zuma’s recommendations during Sadc’s Troika meeting on Zimbabwe on March 9 in Pretoria that “security sector realignment cannot be postponed any longer”.
Tsvangirai has in many instances demonstrated a lack of critical mass and gravitas to confront Mugabe on issues as critical as the latest actions of the police.
He should stand up to Mugabe and demand answers. He cannot continue to outsource for solutions from Sadc. He should say no to Mugabe’s bullying through state security organs!
