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Speaking at a pass-out parade at Ntabazinduna Police Depot during the graduation of 504 recruits, Zimbabwe Electoral Commission chairperson Justice Rita Makarau said the successful holding of the referendum in March heralded a turning point for Zimbabweans.
“Allow me to wear my new hat as chairperson of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and remind everyone that 2013 is an election year.
“Let the spirit that was ushered in by the referendum, the spirit of wanting what is good for our nation, coupled by the call for peace by all national leaders before and during the referendum and the address by his Excellency, the President on Independence Day again calling for peace, be the guiding star to all Zimbabweans who will participate in the forthcoming elections either as candidates or as voters,” said Justice Makarau.
“Firstly, Zimbabweans have overwhelmingly decided to fashion out for themselves a new supreme law. It will be exciting for all of us to put the new law into practice. The beauty of it all is that it is our own.”
She said Zimbabweans had demonstrated that they could disagree and agree to disagree in peace.
“The holding of the referendum in a peaceful manner has ushered in a new atmosphere and maturity of spirit that all of us must cherish.
“We have demonstrated that we do not have to literally beat sense into each other but can make wise choices if left to decide for ourselves. The people of Zimbabwe know what they want for themselves and do not have to be beaten to realise what is good for them and their country,” said Justice Makarau.
She said the time had come for police and the judiciary to spruce up their image so that they could regain the trust of the public.
Justice Makarau said the justice system had become tainted with corruption allegations, although there was little evidence to support the accusation.
“In my view, it is high time that the police and, indeed the justice delivery system as a whole, rebranded and created new images so as to re-earn the confidence of the public. One way of rebranding would be for the entire system to review its procedures and processes and ensure that at each stage there is, in built, a checking mechanism that will discourage police and law officers from using their discretion to grant unlawful liberties to accused persons,” she said.
Justice Makarau said the freedom of accused persons and convicted criminals should not be a commodity that officers could offer on sale to bidders.
“Where freedom has been sold and is not a result of the due process of law, our systems should be able to flush out which stage and by whom such irregular freedom was sold,” she said.
Justice Makarau said an electronic tracking system that would track a complaint from the day of lodging with the police to the final outcome of the case should be put in place.
She said such a pilot system had been introduced in the civil registry of the High Court and had assisted in flushing out irregularly granted and fake orders and undue delays among other irregularities.
Justice Makarau applauded the police for the rich curriculum of the six month course that the recruits underwent.
She said it was likely to equip them with the necessary skills, competencies and knowledge to face the varied demands of policing the real world.
Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri, senior civil servants and traditional leaders were among the people who attended the pass-out parade.
Online Reporter