Zimbabwe Republic Police

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The Zimbabwe Republic Police (or ZRP) is the national police force of Zimbabwe, known until July 1980 as the British South Africa Police.

The cap badge of the Zimbabwe Republic Police. Surrounding the emblem is the Latin motto, Pro lege, pro patria, pro populo, or "For the law, the nation, and the people"

1 Structure
2 Formation and Africanisation
3 Criticism
4 Notes
5 References

[edit] Structure

The force consists of at least 21,800 officers and is headquartered in Harare ^[1]. The force is organised by province, and comprises uniformed national police, the Criminal Investigation Department, and traffic police. It also includes specialist support units including the (paramilitary) Police Support Unit and riot police, a Police Internal Security and Intelligence unit (the equivalent of the Rhodesian Special Branch); and ceremonial and canine units. Overall command of the force is exercised by the commissioner, currently Augustine Chihuri.

[edit] Formation and Africanisation

Following Zimbabwe's independence in 1980 the force had a strength of about 11,000 officers (of whom about 60% were white) and a further 35,000 police reservists (nearly all of whom white). After independence, the force followed an official policy of "Africanisation", in which senior white officers—predominantly former British residents of the colony of Rhodesia—were retired and their positions filled by Zimbabwean black officers. In 1982 Wiridzayi Nguruve, who had joined the force as a Constable in 1960, became the first black Commissioner of the force.

[edit] Criticism

Since 2000, the ZRP has faced criticism from Zimbabwean and international NGOs such as Amnesty International for alleged political bias and what is claimed to be its part in what many describe as a systematic violation of rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly ^[2]. The current Commissioner of the ZRP, Augustine Chihuri, is open about his political loyalty to the ZANU-PF party (Zimbabwe's ruling party, led by President Robert Mugabe), saying in 2001 "Many people say I am Zanu PF. Today, I would like to make it public that I support Zanu PF because it is the ruling party. If any other party comes to power, I will resign and let those who support it take over" ^[3]. The ZRP are alleged to take bribes routinely. According to Transparency International the police and justice system of Zimbabwe are extensively corrupted.