The Daily News (Harare)
Municipal Reporter
5 April 2003
The police have refused to help the Harare Municipality eject Zanu PF militia groups camped in council properties in Kuwadzana, confirming fears that their violent actions are sanctioned by the State.
The police last month refused to help the Harare Municipality to evict Zanu PF youths from a council library and hall in Kuwadzana, according to a letter leaked to The Daily News yesterday.
They, instead, advised the council's municipal police against evicting the youths.
The ruling party's supporters occupied the properties in the run-up to the parliamentary by-election in Kuwadzana on 29 and 30 March. They subsequently turned the properties into bases from which they launched raids on suspected MDC supporters in the constituency.
The opposition has in the past accused the police of applying the law selectively.
The police declined to comment on the issue yesterday.
Superintendent H Dhlakama, the Crime Prevention Officer for Harare Province, wrote the letter in response to a request by Tavanani Gomo, the council's chief security officer. The police had been asked to help council remove the illegal occupants.
Part of the letter, dated 17 March 2003, reads: "We received your letter dated 11 March 2003 in which you requested us to assist you in the removal of youths illegally occupying Kuwadzana Library and Kuwadzana Hall, your properties.
"We are advising you that we only carry out evictions in such type of cases through a court order.
"You may choose to go it alone without a court order, but we are kindly advising you not to take the risk."
Gomo appealed to the police for assistance following a council resolution on 27 February ordering him to eject the illegal occupants from Kuwadzana Hall.
The squatters had since left the library, leaving behind a trail of damaged property in their wake.
Vusimusi Sithole, Harare's acting director of works, has been tasked with assessing the extent of the damage.
Gomo made the request for police assistance, saying the municipal police were not peace officers since they did not have arresting powers.
In the absence of the police, the safety of the municipal guards was not guaranteed, he said.
The chief security officer told the councillors that a report on the illegal occupation had already been made to the police, but no action had been taken thus far.
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