Police officers have been forced to sign loyalty forms stating that they will not violate any order given by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Commissioner General, Stephen Mutamba.
The forms, presented as an “Oath of Service,” were circulated in police stations and posts nationwide before and after Monday’s “stay away.”
Police officers were made to sign the forms after the government awarded a US$50 unexplained allowance to all ZRP officers, which was deposited days before the March 31 demonstration called for by war veteran Blessed Geza. The oath reads in part:
I will faithfully, truly and to the best of my judgment, skill and ability, execute and perform the duties required of me as a member of the ZRP.
I will not, without due authority, disclose or make known any matter that comes to my knowledge by reason of such employment.
As a police officer, I shall be deemed to be available for duty at all times and may at any time be assigned by the Commissioner General of Police to any post, department, section or station within any part of Zimbabwe to perform any function conferred upon or assigned to me.
Political Analyst Pride Mkono said these forms were a sign that President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government is in panic mode. Said Mkono:
This is part of a cocktail of strategies employed by authoritarian regimes. In Zimbabwe, they come ahead of a possible uprising given how unpopular the ZANU PF regime has become.
You will probably see a lot of other deployments in other state security agencies. This is not shocking; Mnangagwa knows that his exit is closer.
It is a sign that his regime is panicking. This regime consolidation is coming at a time when factionalism has ripped apart the ruling party.
Geza’s 31 March protests largely failed, with most citizens opting to stay at home instead of going about their daily routines.
Meanwhile, truckloads of baton-wielding anti-riot officers were seen patrolling cities and towns across the country.
More: NewZimbabwe.com
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