HOME Affairs Minister Theresa Makone launched an extraordinary attack on the police last night as she admitted she had limited powers to curb their excesses.
Makone, who shares the portfolio with Zanu PF's Kembo Mohadi, labeled Nkayi police “notorious” rights abusers and expressed exasperation at the lack of support from President Robert Mugabe and police chief, Augustine Chihuri in trying to reign in the “bad apples”.
“I wish to register my displeasure at the deplorable action by the police in Nkayi who have also become notorious for dispersing lawful gatherings sanctioned by the courts,” she said.
“It does not bode well for the image of the police if they are seen as being at the forefront of assaulting and harassing people instead of protecting them."
Police fought running battles with vendors in Harare during the week and stormed the MDC-T's Harvest House head office in the capital on Thursday, arresting at least six party members.
The party claimed that a youth leader is now hospitalised with a broken leg after being assaulted by officers during the raid.
Makone – a member of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC-T party – blamed the disturbances on “a few bad apples” in the ZRP.
“There are a few bad apples that are tarnishing the image of the entire police force,” she said.
“(But) I am aware that there are many professional men and women in uniform whose reputation is being dragged through the mud by those who have chosen to pursue a politically partisan line.”
Makone took over the tough Home Affairs portfolio in June 2010 as Tsvangirai reacted to concerns within the party that her predecessor, Giles Mutsekwa, had failed to reign in partisan elements within the ZRP.
But in her statement Friday, Makone effectively admitted that her own efforts had been equally futile.
“I have engaged the Commissioner General on many occasions about all these issues and nothing has changed,” she said.
“I have alerted the President, to whom all these service chiefs report to on operational issues, and there has not been any shift in the general conduct of some members of the police.
“It is a fact that as Minister of Home Affairs, I have not been spared the embarrassment of having my own lawful rallies dispersed by unruly elements while the police watched,” she said.