The dictators implementing arm and how we can cut it

 What do we need to achieve justice, rule of law and eliminate human rights violations in Zimbabwe ? 


Part 1 ……..


In status quo justice , order and rule of law are hard to get because the law enforcement agencies are all politicized .This is the core-stem  of the incumbent’s absolute rule .The kind of reform that our law enforcement needs is depoliticization.


In this short typing , I will attempt to identify the core of zimbabwe’s human rights crisis  which is generically escalates to a chain of many other sets of crisis like corruption , state capture . All of them unfolding as effects of the dicatator’s pursuit of absolute power. 


Many people believe that  to get absolute power you need the army on your side. Well they are not wrong per say but just they haven’t realised where is derived. Power in all political systems is derived from the law and absolute power is consolidated through institutions , processes and organizations that work to enforce , interpret and implement the law. So law enforcement agencies in this particular case become the heart , soul and hand of the dictator’s absolute power which he uses to repress his perceived opponents  and oppress  the people he governs. But how does he do that in Zimbabwe?  The dictator in Zimbabwe uses the police force to implement his tyranny. He takes advantage of the law that allows him to appoint service chiefs. In that he then appoints is loyalists to top positions like Director General of CIO , Commissioner General etc . These are his  “ G-men “ . These are the men that run the law enforcement agencies on his command. So for him to have his fingers wrapped them he has to politicize their office that is to say he uses partisan connections. The tyrant appoints members or affiliates of his party , who are loyal to him to top positions in the law enforcement system. Through them he enforces his dictatorship and rules by law. These political appointees will work to protect and please him.  Thats how CIO and MID  carry out abductions  and torture activists , opposition leaders , government critics. They also use their access to information to cover up crimes of the dictator. So generally the law enforcement is politicized on partisan basis. 


Now , it is obvious that  the first path is to remove the dictator ( by whatever means we choose but thats not where the debate is ). So when we succeed in that we have to then reform the system . 


The how part  …..


We must first keep law enforcement agencies separate from politics if we are to achieve the rule of law. Corruption and violations of human rights are effectively dealt with by a professional and apolitical law enforcement.  


A depoliticized law enforcement is the only way to prevent political criminality .State capture and abuse of office  are well investigated,exposed and fought by professional, apolitical and independent law enforcement. 


To characterize this  depoliticization , it should be put that heads of law enforcement should not be political appointees but rather competent and professionally recruited patriots whom on the basis of merit get to lead the agencies . The method to recruit  them is through interviews , record vetting and having the parliament vote on the decision of who then gets the Job. 


So once we separate the law enforcement agencies from partisan politics we can then be sure  to see rule of law , justice and eliminate human rights violations in Zimbabwe

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