Online Reporter
Zvikomborero Parafini
THE Zimbabwe Independent Complaints Commission (ZICC) yesterday signed an historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) for the training of police officers.
The partnership establishes a framework for the training of police officers in sign language communication and the effective handling of persons living with disabilities, promoting inclusivity and strengthening rights-based policing in Zimbabwe.
Speaking at the signing ceremony held in the capital yesterday, ZICC chairperson Justice Webster Chinamora described the partnership as “a deliberate stride in the maturity of our public institutions” and a significant investment in building ethical and community-centred security services.
Justice Chinamora noted that global trends in security sector reform show that knowledge, critical thinking, and research-driven approaches are essential to modern policing.
One of the transformative elements of the agreement is the strengthening of sign language training for security officers.
“Ethical leadership must be deliberate, not accidental,” he said.
Justice Chinamora urged senior officers to view the partnership not as a critique, but as an affirmation of their critical role in upholding national stability.
“Oversight bodies and security agencies must be partners in progress,” he said.
Justice Chinamora expressed gratitude to ZOU for embracing the partnership and commended the Commission’s staff for their commitment to institutional excellence.
He said the MoU represents more than an agreement — it is a pledge to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and to continuously improve the country’s security sector.
ZICC’s executive secretary Netsai Chivake said the partnership is timely and essential.
“Its core objective – to equip our security services with Sign Language skills – is a direct and powerful investment in public trust.
“True trust is not assumed, it is built through consistent, meaningful engagement.
“For members of our deaf community, engagement with the security sector – whether to report a crime, seek help in an emergency, or simply during a routine interaction – can be fraught with barriers.
“A communication barrier is, in that moment, a barrier to justice, to safety, and to dignity. It undermines the very trust upon which effective policing and public safety depend.
“Therefore, this MoU is a critical step in our national journey of leaving no one and no place behind, it moves us from policy to practice.
“By integrating professional Sign Language training into the development of our security personnel, we are sending an unequivocal message: Every citizen deserves to be seen, heard, and understood,” she said.
