BY VENERANDA LANGA
THE issue of rape of women during the recent protests yesterday spilled into Parliament, with Kuwadzana legislator Miriam Mushayi (MDC Alliance) giving notice to introduce a motion to debate the abuse of women by State security agents.
Mushayi’s motion seeks to force government to provide an effective and independent mechanism for receiving and investigating complaints against the conduct of members of the security services in accordance with the Constitution.
She said her motion would discuss the culture of impunity by State security agents, whose duty is to receive complaints of abuse by victims.
Gweru Urban MP Brian Dube (MDC Alliance) said State security agents should undergo re-orientation programmes by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) so that they adhere to socially-acceptable behaviour in their discharge of duties.
He was contributing to debate on a motion on the 2018 ZHRC report, which was tabled before Parliament last year and raised issues of rights of prisoners, among others.
“There is need to orient and train the police, soldiers, members of the Central Intelligence Organisation and prison officers on issues of human rights so that they do not just mete punishment on people that commit offences. MPs must also learn about human rights issues because we also have challenges where we have MPs that are marrying young children in their churches,” Dube said.
Marondera Central MP Caston Matewu (MDC Alliance) said the brutality against civilians was sending unacceptable messages about Zimbabwe’s human rights culture.
