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Freeman Razemba in Tanzania
Zimbabwe has commended its counterparts in SADC for continued cooperation in fighting crime saying these relations also date back to the days of the liberation struggle.
This was said by Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Tanzania Lieutenant General (RTD) Anselem Sanyatwe after the arrival of visiting Zimbabwe Republic Police officers who are taking part in the Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation (SARPCCO) which are meant to create a platform for police officers in the region to engage in fruitful interaction, sharing ideas on policing traditions and fostering regional friendship, understanding and cooperation through sport.
A delegation of about 200 ZRP officers and officials led by Commissioner Abigail Moyo are among participants who are participating in the games.
In an interview, Ambassador Sanyatwe hailed the relations and togetherness that continue to exist between SADC member states.
“To be honest with you, I would like to first take you slightly back. When we are talking of SADC, SADC member states, it is my belief that, here you are in Tanzania, Tanzania was basically responsible for the liberation of the entire SADC member states and the relationship therefore dates back to the days of the liberation struggle.
“As you are aware that the Republic of Zimbabwe was and remains to be the second born of the United Republic of Tanzania after the sister Republics of Angola and Mozambique. So we came after these two republics followed by Namibia and eventually South Africa.
“Given that background, SADC has basically remained a family and under that one family, remains a team. It therefore follows on that with the spirit of togetherness among the law enforcement agents of SADC,” he said.
He said as a result of this, they have witnessed a substantial progress in terms of combating crime within the region.
“I think a year ago, we also even hosted our Commissioner General, General Godwin Matanga and his team when he was here in Tanzania when he had come for inspection programmes of the regional forces within SADC,” Ambassador Sanyatwe said.
He said with the Interpol also in place, he was happy that from the time he was deployed to Tanzania in 2019, he has witnessed Zimbabwean wanted offenders being arrested in Tanzania.
“We have witnessed some offenders who had escaped our systems in Zimbabwe and had sought sanctuary here in Tanzania and they were extradited back home through Interpol and we have good cordial relations within the region.
“On that note we should encourage the interaction through sporting, through participating in various disciplines and it then brings about the confidences between member states within the forces of our respective capital,” he said.
However Ambassador Sanyatwe urged all the Team Zimbabwe participants to work hard in order to retain the trophy.
The SARPCCO games first took place in July 1996 when police chiefs of 12 Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries acknowledged the need for the advancement of regional cooperation in policing the region. The games have since grown into one of the most celebrated events in the region.
The objectives of the games are to organise, regulate and administer sport for serving police officers in the region; to foster partnership in the sub-region and improve co-operation through sport; to build trust and friendship among the junior members.
In 2019, the ZRP won the overall trophy at the 10th edition of these games, which were held in Angola, for the fifth time in a row.
Team Zimbabwe scooped 20 gold, 25 silver and 21 bronze medals to make it a total of 66 medals.
Team Zimbabwe also received trophies for netball, athletics and darts.
SARPCCO is the primary force in Southern Africa in the prevention and fighting of cross-border crimes.
Formed in 1995 in Zimbabwe, the organisation has firmly established itself as a benchmark for international police cooperation.
The regional organisation is supported by the Sub-Regional Bureau of Interpol in Harare, which coordinates its activities and programmes.
Priority crimes in the SADC region are terrorism, motor vehicle thefts, drugs and counterfeit pharmaceuticals, economic and commercial crimes, firearms and explosives, trafficking in gold, diamonds and other precious stones and metals, crimes against women and children, illegal immigrants and stolen and lost travel documents, wildlife crime and endangered species and human trafficking.
Online Reporter