ZIMBABWE METRO
“If We Didn't Tell You, Who Would? Wait, Don't Answer That…”
ZIMBABWE METRO
“If We Didn't Tell You, Who Would? Wait, Don't Answer That…”
Mugabe The Hypocrite: Selective Justice on View!!
While President Robert Mugabe steadfastly refuses to swear in the MDC treasurer Roy Bennett as deputy minister of agriculture on the grounds
that he still faces trial on trumped up charges, a wanted killer walks free.
Joseph Mwale, for whom a warrant of arrest has been issued by the High Court, and for whom the police are ostensibly hunting high and low, was photographed two months ago less than a foot away from Mugabe himself.
For Mugabe to proclaim that he cannot interfere with the course of the law, in the case of Bennett, and yet to harbour a criminal like Mwale, who has purportedly evaded a nation-wide police dragnet, is stretching the credibility of Zimbabweans too far.
The honoured guests who sit in the VIP tent at functions such as Mugabe’s birthday, are personally invited by the President’s office. Furthermore, they are carefully vetted by the police, CIO and protocol department before even being invited. There is no way Joseph Mwale could have been sitting so close to Mugabe without a lot of government officials being aware of that. Certainly Mugabe himself must have been aware of, and have sanctioned, Mwale’s presence in a seat of such high honour.
What message does this send to the rank and file policemen on the beat? It seems pretty clear to us – Mwale is untouchable. He stands in the shadow of Mugabe himself. He has the personal protection of none other than the Head of State and Commander in Chief of defence forces. Who would dare arrest him?
Recently, the co-minister of Home Affairs, Giles Mutseyekwa, promised that Mwale would soon be brought to face justice. It looks as though he spoke too soon.
Our front page this week quotes the Human Rights NGO Forum saying there is “little political will to deal with past rights abuses”. They are absolutely correct in this assessment. The forum warns of a dangerous escalation of public anger as victims of state-sponsored brutality feel powerless and aggrieved in the face of seeing the perpetrators of horrific election violence walking free.
Zimbabweans have proved time and again that they are a gracious, peace-loving, forgiving, long-suffering, patient people – but their patience is being sorely tried. And the new government would be wise not to take it for granted.
For Mugabe to proclaim that he cannot interfere with the course of the law, in the case of Bennett, and yet to harbour a criminal like Mwale, who has purportedly evaded a nation-wide police dragnet, is stretching the credibility of Zimbabweans too far.
The honoured guests who sit in the VIP tent at functions such as Mugabe’s birthday, are personally invited by the President’s office. Furthermore, they are carefully vetted by the police, CIO and protocol department before even being invited. There is no way Joseph Mwale could have been sitting so close to Mugabe without a lot of government officials being aware of that. Certainly Mugabe himself must have been aware of, and have sanctioned, Mwale’s presence in a seat of such high honour.
What message does this send to the rank and file policemen on the beat? It seems pretty clear to us – Mwale is untouchable. He stands in the shadow of Mugabe himself. He has the personal protection of none other than the Head of State and Commander in Chief of defence forces. Who would dare arrest him?
Recently, the co-minister of Home Affairs, Giles Mutseyekwa, promised that Mwale would soon be brought to face justice. It looks as though he spoke too soon.
Our front page this week quotes the Human Rights NGO Forum saying there is “little political will to deal with past rights abuses”. They are absolutely correct in this assessment. The forum warns of a dangerous escalation of public anger as victims of state-sponsored brutality feel powerless and aggrieved in the face of seeing the perpetrators of horrific election violence walking free.
Zimbabweans have proved time and again that they are a gracious, peace-loving, forgiving, long-suffering, patient people – but their patience is being sorely tried. And the new government would be wise not to take it for granted.
Link: The Zimbabwean
Posted by Raymond Mhaka
on May 7, 2009. Filed under Politics & Foreign.
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