Mnangagwa makes security changes

By Farayi Machamire | ZimMorningPost |

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has reshuffled several senior police officers who were providing his security services together with the army following latest Zimbabwe Republic Police transfers, Zim Morning Post can report.

This was revealed last week in police radio signal announcing structural changes to the Police Protection Unit (PPU) and other police provinces.

PPU which comprises of five districts namely parliament, relief, diplomats, escorts, and state house specialises in providing security to VVIPs, VIPs and members of the diplomatic corps.

The latest changes mainly affect the State Motorcade section.

“The following transfers have been approved and are to be implemented immediately stop,” reads the radio, before going on to detail the names of those moved.

These include Inspector E Johnson from PPU State Motorcade to Mashonaland East PHQ operations as officer in charge of crime.

Inspector G Mubariki from Rujeko to PPU State Motorcade, Inspector M Moyo from PPU Provincial Operations to PPU State Motorcade as OIC, Inspector C Bhiri from PPU corner House to PPU State Motorcade as OIC, Inspector J Mutiri from Warren Park to PPU State Motorcade as OIC (ooperation) among others.

While the Police has previously said there is nothing “unusual” about the ongoing movements as ZRP embarks on routine transfers as a way of strengthening the operation effectiveness, insiders canvassed by Zim Morning Post said the PPU changes were symptoms of the mistrust and suspicions that have become deep rooted due to the police’s stance at the height of infighting in Zanu PF before the military intervention in November 2017.

During the twilight of Mugabe’s reign, intense infighting over who should succeed him, saw Mnangagwa tightening his security following suspicions that his rivals may have been out to eliminate him physically in the wake of his alleged poisoning at Pelandaba stadium in Gwanda.

Since then, Mnangagwa has been seen in public with the military providing his security — on top of personnel assigned by the police and the Central Intelligence Organisation.

Meanwhile, ZRP transferred 80 junior officers as part of efforts to reinvent the law enforcement agency’s operations and battered image.

The changes were also revealed in a radio signal announcing structural changes to various police departments and other police provinces.

In a memo gleaned by Zim Morning Post, the major changes hit Police General Headquarters, Harare Province, Mashonaland West Province and Police Protection Unit.

There were also suggestions that it had become critical to move bodies around in the police force as some of the law enforcement agents had overstayed in their stations.

Mnangagwa, who swept to power on the back of the military intervention, has so far made a number of changes in the ZRP, with long-serving commissioner-general, Augustine Chihuri, being retired.

Mnangagwa followed that up with the retirement of senior members of the police service and also re-deployed several senior officers in the Police Protection Unit who were providing security to Mugabe.