The Sunday Mail
Norman Muchemwa
President Mnangagwa has implored incoming Zimbabwe Republic Commissioner General Godwin Matanga to hit the ground running by ensuring his officers provide services commensurate with their mandate.
The President said this on Thursday at the official opening of the new Criminal Investigations Department building which also houses a new forensic laboratory in Harare.
Speaking at the event, President Mnangagwa said society had great expectations on Commissioner General Matanga.
“We are equally conscious of the great expectations of society for the newly appointed Commissioner General to hit the ground running, by providing much needed investigative and forensic science laboratory services to the people,” said the President.
“The completion of this massive and magnificent structure, which has nine floors, will no doubt, see the CID and Forensic Scientists move from the dreary, antiquated and modular structures.
“Most importantly, the Forensic Science Laboratory will enhance evidence gathering, processing and analysis.
“This will reduce the time and effort police often devote to searching eyewitnesses of crime, as a lead to identifying a suspect.”
The president took reference to his former offices which were broken into, but police investigations were inconclusive due to lack of forensic evidence.
He said the police should be professional and disciplined.
President Mnangagwa reiterated his pledge to hold free and fair elections and urged the police to maintain law and order before, during and after the polls.
In his address during the same event Commissioner General Matanga said: “Your Excellency, during your inauguration, you promised that it was no longer business as usual.
“Borrowing from that version, allow me to also say that, it will no longer be policing as usual in the Zimbabwe Republic Police.”
“You are on record saying that, the voice of the people is the voice of God, indeed, the people spoke and we had to do deep self-introspection. We had to redeem ourselves and serve our masters well.”
