- guardian.co.uk, Sunday June 18 2000 03.28 BST
Motorists arrested for minor offences are handcuffed to their vehicles. Police say it is an exercise to reduce armed crime. Many say the government is flexing its muscles before next weekend's parliamentary elections.
But not all the officers are hostile. The policeman checking my bag ruefully agrees that prices are far too high because of Zimbabwe's 60 per cent inflation. 'It's time for a change,' he says in a low voice, implicitly endorsing the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
Despite the Mugabe regime's blatant use of violence, electoral fraud and misuse of the police force, the impetus for change appears to be unstoppable. An opinion poll released on Friday says the MDC will win 70 of the 120 elected parliamentary seats.
The elections are the most important since the 1980 vote which brought majority rule. The choice is between Robert Mugabe's government, which promotes violence, murder and mayhem, and the MDC, which calls for respect for human rights and the rule of law.
Public support for the MDC is palpable. That is why the government is using every trick in the book. These include making the police force accomplices to the political violence that has racked the country. Government officials say the elections will be free and fair. But all objective observers agree that this is impossible.
Police commissioner Augustine Chihuri asserted last week: 'Political violence is being over-publicised by the media. The violence that has characterised this election is common in other countries.'
That was rich, coming from the man responsible for preventing the police from taking action against the illegal farm invasions, from stopping violence against opposition supporters and from arresting known murderers.
The argument that Zimbabwe's pre-election violence is acceptable in comparison with more serious violence in other African countries is a line of reasoning articulated by Mugabe and parroted by several Cabinet Ministers. But Zimbabwe's violence is different and much more objectionable because it has been sponsored by the government itself.
Trevor Ncube, editor of the Zimbabwe Independent, says: 'At least 30 Zimbabweans have been murdered in cold blood and many more raped and assaulted for their political beliefs while the police have stood by with arms folded. Whatever they do from now until the election, I doubt they will ever recover from the damage their partisan role has done to their reputation and image.'
But not all support Mugabe. A group of senior police officers revealed their unhappiness to the independent Daily News . They are dismayed by the failure of police to prosecute the killers of MDC members Tichaona Chiminya and Talent Mabhika, who died when their vehicle was firebombed in Buhera in April.
They are also disgusted that police have not arrested the men who killed white farmer David Stevens, another MDC member. 'Chiminya's vehicle was petrol-bombed in the presence of the police. Stevens was dragged out of a police station by his killers,' said one of the police officers. 'Police know who those killers are yet no one has been arrested or charged.'
The disillusioned officers say the farm invasions have created a climate of lawlessness, giving rise to increased numbers of armed robberies and carjackings. Although Mugabe has ordered police not to take action against the farm invaders, the officers say that, according to the Police Act, the police are not supposed to obey an unlawful order no matter who issues it.
Since the February referendum 300 officers have been transferred, accused of being MDC sympathisers. Inspector Patrick Mashayamombe, police chief in the eastern border town of Chimanimani, was moved to a junior position in Mutare for allegedly sympathising with the MDC. He is the officer credited with restoring order in Chimanimani after Zanu-PF supporters rampaged through the town last month. 'Morale in the police is really low,' said one officer. 'Some of us feel really bad. We can see people breaking the law, committing murders, political violence and farm invasions.'
The police charge that the Central Intelligence Organisation, run from Mugabe's offices, has issued weapons to Zanu-PF supporters and many of these are being used in a spate of armed robberies. This is especially worrying because of threats that the country will be returned to war if the ruling party loses the elections.
'This country was won through the loss of blood and not elections,' said Edmore Harare, a veteran leader in the Masvingo and Midlands provinces. 'Even if other people accept the results, we will not. We are married to this country and Mugabe. We are going to support Mugabe until we bury him.'
The emasculation of the police force has created a feeling of insecurity. For short-term gains, Mugabe has wrought long-term damage on the country's once proud police force.
