Maputo — The General Commander of the Mozambican police force (PRM), Bernardino Rafael, claims that it is difficult to lead a police that is functioning with outdated laws.

According to Rafael, who was speaking during a ceremony, in Pemba, capital of the northern province of Cabo Delgado, cited on Wednesday by the independent paper "O País', "the failure to approve a new Police Law, for more than 10 years, is inexplicable. The politicians should have more respect for the police.'

"It's actually difficult to lead a police force with a law that is ignored. I don't know of any country with such a reality. The country has institutions with up-to-date laws. But the police don't have an up-to-date law', he said.

The Commander believes that failure to pass the Police Law is a "regrettable and inexplicable situation' that needs to be solved.

"I kept quiet for a long time. Now I'm responding to the concerns of colleagues who are anxious and asking questions about our existence', said Rafael. "Mozambicans recognize their police, because every Mozambican has a family member who is a policeman, including those who are afraid to pass the law'.

He added that even lawmakers "have family members who are policemen. But I don't understand why they are afraid to pass the law'.

According to Rafael, the non-approval of the Police Law is a result of lack of cohesion on the part of some deputies in the Assembly of the Republic, the Mozambican parliament.

"These people have no respect for their police force, which is the only one they have. Sometimes politicians insult us, offend us, without realising that we are also voters', he said.

"Respect your police, because this is the police you have', he added.

He also called on police agents to exercise their right to vote in the presidential, parliamentary and provincial elections scheduled for 9 October.