Harare, Zimbabwe (News of the South)-The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) has slammed the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) for its wanton violence against non-demonstrators caught in the crossfire of demonstrators and called for a controlled approach to policing which does not endanger innocent people.
Reports of police brutality have been awash in the wake of multiple demonstrations against President Mugabe and his government with pictures flighted in the private media of people beaten by the police recently.
Many of those beaten have turned out to be innocent victims caught in the middle of demonstrations they have nothing to do with.
This the commission says is unacceptable and the ZRP as a professional organisation should come up with ways and systems that uphold the law whilst not impinging on the freedom of other people.
“The provision on demonstrations details that people have a right to peaceful demonstrations and so we don’t condone violence during demonstrations”.
“Our main concern now is when one person throws a stone and runs into a flat the police arrive, drag everyone out and beat them or randomly throws teargas”.
“Teargas is harmful even to a healthy person what more to babies?
“When they are dealing with the law breakers they should also be concerned with the innocent”, it said.
The commission has also predicted a tumultuous period in the run-up to the 2018 elections due to the absence of reforms to the Electoral Act.
The organisation’s Chairperson Commissioner Elasto Hilarious Mugwadi says the non-responsive attitude of government to calls for reforms to the Act could pose challenges in the country.
“We are going towards the 2018 elections and the Electoral Act has not been reformed and this will cause a lot of problems in the political sector”, he said.
The ZHRC has also cited as an anomaly Justice Rita Makarau’s dual roles as both Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) Chairperson and being part of the Judiciary.
This situation, according to the body, compromises impartiality and independence.
Justice Rita Makarau is currently the Secretary of the Judicial Services Commission.
The anomaly has been raised in the latest draft report on the body’s Commentary on Zimbabwe’s Second Cycle Universal Periodic Review.
“ZEC Chairperson has a dual role in the judiciary and electoral body compromising impartiality and independence”.
“(However) the independence of the ZEC has been enhanced through provisions in the 2013 Constitution. ZEC now administers the voter’s roll, which has been removed from the purview of the Registrar-General”.
The ZHRC is finalizing its report on the second cycle of its existance which has been awash with accusations of lacking teeth against flagrant government abuse of power against its vehement defence of being a mere commission with limited powers.
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