The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) is the national police force of Zimbabwe, having succeeded the British South Africa Police (BSAP) on 1 August 1980.

History

thumb|Emblem of the British South Africa Police

The British South Africa Police was formed in 1889 under the rule of the British South Africa Company. The Zimbabwe Republic Police was established on 1 August 1980 following the Rhodesian Bush War, by the integration of the BSAP, auxiliary forces, and ZIPRA and ZANLA forces. Then-Home Affairs Minister Cde Joshua Nkomo announced the new post-independence title for the national police.

Following independence in 1980, the force had a strength of about 9,000 regular personnel and a further 25,000 police reservists (nearly half of whom were white Zimbabweans of European ancestry). After independence, the force followed an official policy of "Africanisation", in which senior white officers were retired, and their positions filled by black officers. In 1982, Wiridzayi Nguruve, who had joined the force as a constable in 1960, became the first black commissioner of the force. He was then succeeded by Henry Mkurazhizha whose deputies were Augustine Chihuri and Emmanuel S. Ruzario, the former going on to become commissioner.

Zimbabwe Republic Police commander's rank was upgraded from Commissioner to Commissioner-General in 2008. This followed a similar move in the Zimbabwe Defence Forces in 1993 and consequently in the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service in 2014.

Structure

The Zimbabwe Republic Police consists of at least 45 000 officers and members as at 1 May 2018, and is headquartered in Harare at the Police General Headquarters (PGHQ).

Overall, command of the force is exercised by the Commissioner-General Stephen Mutamba.

  • Jack Denley (6 February 1982 – July 1982)
  • Wiridzayi Nguruve (July 1982 – February 1985)
  • Henry Mukurazhizha (February 1985 – 19 December 1991)
  • Augustine Chihuri (September 1993 – December 2017; acting from 18 December 1991)
  • Godwin Matanga (19 December 2017 to 31 December 2024)
  • Stephen Mutamba (since 1 January 2025)

Criticism

Since 2000, the ZRP has faced criticism from Zimbabwean and international NGOs such as Amnesty International for alleged political bias and what is claimed to be its part in what many describe as a systematic violation of rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly. The then-Commissioner of the ZRP, Augustine Chihuri, was open about his political loyalty to President Robert Mugabe's administration, saying in 2001 "Many people say I am ZANU-PF. Today, I would like to make it public that I support ZANU-PF because it is the ruling party. If any other party comes to power, I will resign and let those who support it take over". Police corruption was also said to be rife.

Notes

1. The Military Balance 2003/2004, International Institute for Strategic Studies <br />

2. Amnesty International, AFR 46/003/2005<br />

3. Daily News, Harare, 2 June 2001

References

  • Zimbabwe Intelligence Profile, 2003
  • AFR 46/003/2005 - Amnesty International 2005 report on Zimbabwe election intimidation
  • Kent Rasmussen, R., & Rubert, S. C., 1990. Historical Dictionary of Zimbabwe, Scarecrow Press, Metuchen, N.J., USA.

Further reading

  1. World Police Encyclopedia, ed. by Dilip K. Das & Michael Palmiotto. by Taylor & Francis. 2004,
  2. World Encyclopedia of Police Forces and Correctional Systems, 2nd. edition, Gale., 2006
  3. Sullivan, Larry E. et al. Encyclopedia of Law Enforcement. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 2005.
  • About the Zimbabwe Republic Police and its History, from the Ministry Of Home Affairs official website