Caiphas Chimhete
10 November 2009
POLICE officers guarding state properties and senior Zanu PF officials in government say they are being forced to work for more than 20 hours a day without food. The officers who perform what they called "state guard duties" say they are also not being paid travel and subsistence allowances.
Several disgruntled officers who spoke to The Standard last week said they have presented their grievances to their superiors but the problems have not been addressed.
The officers from the Police Support Unit at Chikurubi Support Unit (both from Urban and Rural Districts) in Harare said they buy their own food and meet transport costs to areas they protect, most of which are not accessible by public transport.
They accused Officer Commanding Chikurubi District, a Chief Superintendent Ncube, of turning a blind eye to their plight which they said was worsening by the day.
"I started duty today at 6am and I only expect to be relieved between 6am and 10am tomorrow," one of the officers told The Standard on Wednesday.
The officer was guarding the residence of a senior Zanu PF official whom he said was not under threat from anybody.
He added: "At times an officer goes for more than 24 hours on duty because there will be no one to relieve him and he cannot leave the premises unguarded. It's a very serious crime."
The officer alleged that Zanu PF officials were abusing the police protection facility as most of the guarded properties and individuals were not under any threat.
Officers from the Chikurubi Rural District said they were assigned to guard farms belonging to Zanu PF officials in Mashonaland Central and West.
The officers said they have one kit (uniform) each which they were issued with "sometime last year".
Apart from that, said the officers, they are also forced to pay US$2 each every month towards a funeral fund although some of them have their own policies.
Like other civil servants police officers earn about US$150 a month which is far below the monthly bread basket estimated at US$500 for a family of six.
Ncube refused to comment. "I am not the best person to comment on that one since they are policy matters."
The Officer Commanding Support Unit Senior Assistant Police Commissioner Billy Mashonga could not be reached for comment.
But police spokesperson Superintendent Andrew Phiri professed ignorance of the matter.
"I am not aware of that. Talk to Chief Superintendent (Oliver) Mandikapa, he might be able to comment," he said.
Efforts to raise Mandipaka were fruitless last week.
Among those that are getting police support unit protection are magistrates and prosecutors, senior officials from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and several police officers who include Senior Assistant Commissioners.
Ironically, most senior police officers were given protection beginning February this year following the formation of the inclusive government when the political environment had already stabilised.
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