Source: Heal Zimbabwe
Heal Zimbabwe condemns in the strongest terms the assault of #Tajamuka/Sesijikile campaign protestors, by riot police on the 17th of August 2016. The protestors were demonstrating against the plans by the Government to introduce the bond notes and the general deteriorating socio- political and economic conditions in the country.
As the protestors gathered to demonstrate in Harare CBD, riot police descended on the protestors firing teargas and assaulting several protestors. In the melee that followed, many protestors were injured as some gasped for air because of teargas. One of the protestors who sustained serious injuries on his head is Martin Jemwa aged 45 years. Narrating his ordeal from his Budiriro home, having been discharged from a local hospital, he said that trouble started when riot police arrived in teargas trucks and descended on them. He remembers that when he tried to run away, one of the riot police intercepted him and he fell down. Heavy assaults then started as more than 8 riot policemen assaulted him all over his body while he was lying down. When the police realized that he had passed out, they stopped the beatings. When he regained consciousness, he found out he had been helped by fellow protestors who took him to hospital for treatment. Other protestors who were assaulted include Sten Zvorwadza, the Chairman of National Vendors Union of Zimbabwe (NAVUZ) and Lovemore Chinoputsa, Secretary General for MDC-T Youth Assembly.
The assault of protestors by riot police come hardly a month after riot police similarly assaulted, fired teargas and carried out a series of unlawful arrests against protestors who were also demonstrating against introduction of bond notes in Harare CBD. Heal Zimbabwe notes that while freedom to demonstrate and petition is well provided for under section 59 of the constitution, the disregard for the constitution by the police is not only despicable but archaic especially in today’s world where rule of law must take precedence.
The police are not only violating the constitution but also their own Police Client Service Charter which stipulates in its preamble that: “The Zimbabwe Republic Police is a people-oriented police service provider that seeks to maintain law and order towards the socio-economic development of the people. The organization came up with a Client Service Charter in a bid to clearly spell out the minimum service our clients can expect from the ZRP. The document was crafted with a view to entrench a results based performance culture within the organization that will enhance police service delivery” The actions by the police are deplorable to say the least and also contradict their mission which aims: ” To maintain law and order, protect and secure the lives and property of the people and to institute dynamic policing practices that engender effective prevention, investigation and detection of crime”.
In addition, the increase in the cases of police brutality against protestors has also been necessitated by the lack of an independent mechanism such as the one provided for in section 210 of the constitution which allows members of the public to report cases of misconduct on the part of members of the security services. It is Heal Zimbabwe’s view that this Independent complaints mechanism will deter police from being brutal towards innocent citizens.
The delay by Government to provide an Act of Parliament that sets up an Independent complaints mechanism necessitated Heal Zimbabwe on 13 January 2016, to take the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs to the Constitutional Court over delays in providing an effective and independent mechanism for receiving and investigating complaints from members of the public about the misconduct of members of the security services in compliance with Section 210 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe (the Constitutional court is yet to make a ruling on the case).
Heal Zimbabwe implores the government to swiftly provide an effective and independent complaints mechanisms which will receive and investigate complaints from the public against members of the security services in compliance with the constitution. Government must also use non-violent and engaging processes that seeks to address challenges amicably.
Source: Heal Zimbabwe