The Sunday Mail
Norman Muchemwa
The Zimbabwe Republic Police is a key component in luring investors through maintaining a stable and peaceful environment, Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Honourable Kazembe Kazembe has said.
Minister Kazembe said this Wednesday when he toured the Police General Headquarters and the Criminal Investigations Department Headquarters in Harare yesterday.
The Minister who was accompanied by his Permanent Secretary Cde Aaron Nhepera was on a familiarisation tour to acquaint himself with operations of the police.
Senior police officers drawn from the entire police command including the provincial commanders also accompanied the Minister.
The police, he said, should always be vigilant in maintaining law and order and allow a stable and friendly environment for business.
“I am here as a team player and will make sure that together we will do well in serving our clients. I am happy I heard the Commissioner-General speaking about the criticality of the police. He spoke about the need to ensure peace and stability in our county and that is very impactful in a number of ways,” said Minister Kazembe.
“Our President is speaking about Vision 2030 and the ‘Zimbabwe is Open for Business’ mantra and the ease of doing business in the country. In all these cases as police, you play a critical role.”
“There is no investor who want to come in a country that is not stable, that is not peaceful and that collective responsibility lies in us as the police. It’s not only us but the entire citizens of this country. The relationship with our client is that of fish and water so we need each other in the discharge of our duties.”
Challenges facing the police, he said, will be addressed adding he will do everything he can to allow smooth flow of operations.
“I am aware of the challenges affecting the police that the Commissioner-General alluded to. I am alive to these challenges because I live with the people. I know the challenges and will do everything I can to see that they have been addressed.”
Gender disparity, Minister Kazembe said, should be addressed. He encouraged women to join the organisation.
Of the 50 000 police officers in the country, only 13 000 are female.
Police Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga bemoaned lack of resources as hampering operations of the police adding that the budget allocated to the department is little for effective policing to be implemented.
Siakobvu police camp in Mashonaland West was high on the interaction and both the Commissioner-General and the Minister agreed that there is urgent need to address the dilapidated infrastructure.
