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Mr Tsvangirai told the commission’s top officials that his party had unearthed a massive scam where Zanu-PF allegedly plotted to rig the forthcoming harmonised elections using State security agents and a hired Israeli company. In a statement yesterday, chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said the force had registered 50 000 police officers as special voters since they would be deployed in various polling stations away from their workstations.
She said according to Section 81 of the Electoral Act, Chapter 2:13, a registered voter is entitled to cast a special vote in terms of Part X1VA before the polling day or on the first polling day in an election if he or she will be unable to vote at a polling station in his or her constituency because he or she is or will be an electoral officer, and is a member of a disciplined force who will be performing security duties during the election.
“The ZRP regular members will be augmented by Police Constabulary members who, according to the Police Act, Chapter 27 (3) states that Police Constabulary members may be employed to assist regular members of the force on any occasion.
“Section 27 (4) of the Police Act further states that the Police Constabulary members shall have the same power, function, authority and responsibility, and be subjected to the police discipline and Police Act like any other member,” said Snr Asst Comm Charamba.
She said as police, they did not enact laws such as the Electoral Act and they only implement the laws after the legislators would have debated and passed them in Parliament.
“Surprisingly, those that are vested with the powers of enacting these laws are now questioning the application of this law,” she said.
“It is also amazing that while they are part of Government, they are giving out inaccurate information on the number of police officers in the organisation.”
The police constabulary, she said, had always assisted regular members from time immemorial, even before the formation of the Government of National Unity.
“There is therefore nothing unusual and sinister in deploying that figure since we have always been doing that in other duties where we do not have enough manpower,” Snr Asst Comm Charamba said.
Online Reporter