Chihuri Refusing To Take Orders, Mudenge Under Probe

Giles Mutsekwa, a member of the Morgan Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and co-Home Affairs minister told Radio VOP that although  it was an Act of Parliament that the President and  the AG had a direct control  of the police there was need for an urgent revision of the law because Chihuri was ignoring orders  from the  co-Home affairs  ministers.

“It  is unfortunate that we have many people who are running the police force in the country, that is the President, Attorney General and the Home  Affairs Ministers. The President and Attorney General give verbal  instructions, while the ministers are asked to give written instructions to  the  police commissioner General,” said Mutsekwa. “What  makes is difficult  in our  situation is  that if I want to give  instructions it should be signed  by  both of us (Mutsekwa and Mohadi).”

Zanu (PF)’s Kembo Mohadi is the other co-Home Affairs minister.

Mutsekwa said until the law was amended his instructions will continue to be overiden. He said this was resulting in Chihuri failing to bring Zanu (PF) perpetrators of political crimes to book.

“Yes its an instrument, its an Act of Parliament, which has been there, but wrongly written during times of dictatorship to give powers to one person…I  have raised  this  issue  with the GPA (Global Political Agreement) principals and they are now aware  that  we are  having a difficult  situation especially when I am required to instruct  Chihuri  through a written note,” he said.

Mutsekwa has been castigated by the public, especially MDC supporters, as a powerless minister who has failed to cause the arrests of Zanu (PF) perpetrators of political violence.

Meanwhile the Zanu (PF) Masvingo North Legislator, who is also the Tertiary and Higher Education minister Mudenge, is under investigation for inciting violence against MDC supporters in Masvingo recently.

Mutsekwa said Mudenge had last week addressed a meeting attended by about 800 people in Zimuto in Masvingo and instructed local traditional  leaders to force MDC supporters  to return to Zanu (PF) before the next election.

“This is a direct breach of the GPA by a senior government official who is aware of the document,” he said.

He said Mudenge’s utterances fuelled violence.

“We are going to deal with such political  figures like Mudenge first and this is going to be done at a government level. Once political  leaders like him utter such inciting words at a crowd of over 800 people what message and actions will they be disseminating down wards?”