The move is one in many redeployments effected in the force since the military-led Operation Restore Legacy, which saw former president Robert Mugabe’s ouster and retirement of ex-ZRP commissioner general Augustine Chihuri.
The latest changes were revealed in a radio signal released on Tuesday.
Police’s national spokesperson Charity Charamba confirmed the development to the Daily News, saying the transfers were part of efforts to improve ZRP’s effectiveness in law enforcement.
“Transfers are normal. There is nothing unusual about these transfers. The ZRP undertakes routine transfers as a way of strengthening the operational effectiveness of the organisation,” she said.
“These transfers are routinely conducted when need arises,” she added.
Among the 41 senior officers redeployed is one assistant commissioner Nyazema T, who has been moved from Police General Headquarters (PGHQ) to Harare Province as assistant commissioner crime.
Chief superintendent Chiwona J, has been moved from Victoria Falls district headquarters (DHQ) to Harare suburban DHQ, as officer commanding.
Chief Superintendent Mapiki E, has been moved from Harare projects to Mashonaland East provincial headquarters (Camps and Hostels), as officer commanding.
In another communication, at least 19 junior police officers have been transferred, senior among them deputy inspector Joseph Nemaisa, who has been moved from CID homicide Harare to Chikurubi Urban DHQ troop, as second in charge.
Nemaisa has been in and out of court on assault charges. The changes come as Home Affairs minister Obert Mpofu recently advised Senate to expect major movements in the force, aimed at enhancing operations.
“We are trying to re-sensitise them (police) and we will deploy them in different areas. We want to start from their leadership and try to re-assign them. We are doing that exercise up to the lower ranks. We want people to see different police officers and we are also asking from you (senators) to assist us in this exercise that we are doing,” he said.
Mpofu said it had become critical to reshuffle the police force as some of the law enforcement officers had overstayed at their stations.
“The police officers in the past days or months were showing a sign of not having much zeal in their work …,” he said.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has so far made a number of changes in the ZRP, which included retiring long-serving Chihuri.
Hard on the heels of Chihuri’s departure, Mnangagwa followed that up with the retirement of 11 members of the police service namely commissioners Grace Nomsa Ndebele and Mekia Tanyanyiwa; senior assistant commissioners Godfrey Munyonga, Justice Chifunye Chengeta, Douglas Jabulani Nyakutsikwa, Robert Tendero Masukusa, Erasmus Makodza, Prudence Chakanyuka, Eve Mlilo, Grace Maenzanise and Munyori Taedzerwa.
And just recently, several senior officers in the Police Protection Unit, who were providing security to Mugabe, were redeployed.
And on February 12, Mnangagwa announced the appointment of Godwin Matanga as substantive commissioner-general of the ZRP. DailyNews
