SPEECH BY THE MINISTER FOR HOME AFFAIRS OF THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA HONOURABLE OMAR RAMADHAN MAPURI (MP) AT THE OCCASION OF THE ZIMBABWE REPUBLIC POLICE PASS OUT PARADE, HARARE 24 MARCH, 2004

· The Commandant Depot;

· Minister for Home Affairs, Comrade Kembo Mohadi;

· The Commissioner of The Zimbabwe Republic Police; Comrade Augustine Chihuri;

· Senior Government Officials;

· Senior Police Officers;

· Ladies and Gentlemen.

I feel greatly honoured and privileged to have been invited to officiate at this pass out parade, which is an important occasion in the ZRP. Allow me ladies and gentlemen, at the very outset, to express my sincere and profound appreciation to the people of Zimbabwe for the warm welcome and hospitality extended to me and my delegation since our arrival in the country.

Today, ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered to witness the graduation of seven recruit squads comprising 152 trainees. This pass out parade encompasses a contingent of two female trainee squads who endured a vigorous and intensive 6 months training programme alongside their male counterparts. This undoubtedly, is an unequivocal expression by the Zimbabwe Republic Police of its commitment to embrace gender equity among its ranks.

I am informed that the graduands before us today, went through a comprehensive training programme, which covered the following subjects, among others:

o Statute Law of Zimbabwe

o Common Law

o General Police duties and Investigations

o Traffic Law Enforcement

o Law of Evidence

o Human Rights and Policing

o Community Relations

o Use of Firearms

o Public Order Management and

o The History of Zimbabwe

I have no doubt in my mind that this rich catalogue of courses has nurtured you into professional and proficient police officers imbued with the requisite skills to confront the dynamic challenges in the world of policing.

The inclusion of Human Rights in the training curriculum is commendable, as it reflects a paradigm shift from a police force characterized by a legacy of brutality in the colonial era to a people-centered, sensitive and democratic police force. The impact of the atrocious and systematic subjugation of the majority indigenous people in the country and the region by colonial regimes, underscored the need to precipitate a new constitutional era that is underlined by respect for human rights, dignity and principles of equality. It is not by coincidence therefore, that our constitutions in the region, Zimbabwe and Tanzania included, are in harmony with Article 1 of the Southern Africa Regional Police Chiefs Co-operation Organization (SARPCCO) Code of Conduct for Police Officials, which demands respect and protection of human dignity and upholding of human rights for all persons by police officers during the scope of their duties.

Today, the lack of importance placed on the history of the indigenous African people contributes to the perpetuation of mental slavery by those who seek to locate such people in the lower echelons of humanity. History is a component of one’s identity and a nation forgetful of its history is doomed to slide into the abyss of identity crisis. I am gratified to note that the Zimbabwe Republic Police has realized that redemption comes with knowledge of one’s history and to this end, it infused the subject “History of Zimbabwe” in its initial training syllabus. This is a stance worth emulation by the Tanzanian Police and thus IGP Mahita should take serious note of it. It is axiomatic that knowing your history will help you to interpret the present events in the light of analogy with the past and make rational decisions into the future as expressed by Sidney E. MEAD, who intimated that;

“History, in brief, is an analysis of the past in order that we may understand the present and guide our conduct into the future.”

Zimbabwe and the United Republic of Tanzania enjoy warm political relations dating back to the days of the liberation struggle. This cordial relationship should be developed further and translated into tangible benefits for the economic emancipation of our people, especially realizing the renewed menace of neo-colonialism which has threatened our national independence and sovereignty. The rich and powerful nations still seek to plunder the resources of poor and weak states under the thin veil of respect for property rights, democracy, good governance and human rights by protecting their kith and kin littered across Africa who own vast tracts of fertile land and multinational companies. These mere doctrines cannot be followed blindly while in the process shackling ourselves to the walls of poverty.

Our two nations share a similarly long and bitter history characterized by a costly war of liberation which we sought to free ourselves from the bondage of racial discrimination. A brief history of my country will put this closeness in a clearer perspective.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The United Republic of Tanzania is a Union between the former Republic of Tanganyika and Peoples’ Republic of Zanzibar. Tanganyika attained independence from British colonialism through the ballot box on 9^th December, 1961. Zanzibar on the other hand had to go through two agonizing stages to attain full independence. The first stage saw the departure of British colonialists who dubiously handed over power to the Arab ruler (the Sultan) they had been protecting for nearly two centuries, on 10^th December, 1963. Only a month after, the people of Zanzibar staged a popular Revolution and overthrew the Arab ruler on 12^th January, 1964 and thus removing once and for all, the shackles of dual (British and Arab) colonialism that had subjugated them for centuries.

You may be interested to know that before the dust of the Zanzibar Revolution had settled, the new Revolutionary Government nationalized land from the hands of a few Arab feudalists who had harboured most of the arable land. Equitable distribution of some of the nationalized land to the majority indigenous Zanzibaris followed shortly after and some land was reserved for communal ownership.

Tanganyika and Zanzibar united on 26^th April, 1964 to form the present day Tanzania. Tanzania based its foreign policy on non – alignment and provided unconditional support to liberation movements in Southern Africa beginning with FRELIMO in Mozambique. This, later saw the training of Zimbabwean freedom fighters in camps such as Mgagao, Nachingwea, Morogoro and other camps in Tanzania. This was followed by the proclamation of the Arusha Declaration of February, 1967, which marked the beginning of a new chapter in land ownership in Tanzania with the introduction of the Ujamaa Policy. This well known philosophy prioritized Agriculture, based on equitable and communal land ownership. It was in fact sort of an extension to Tanzania mainland (formerly Tanganyika) of what was already attained in Zanzibar. This witnessed a shift in land tenure from the ownership of a few individuals and minority groups to the hands of the majority. The economies of Zimbabwe and Tanzania are both agro-based. In light of this striking similarity, the United Republic of Tanzania upholds and fully supports the land reforms implemented in Zimbabwe, which we equate to the philosophy of Ujamaa back home. It is my conviction that this land revolution will irreversibly change the complexion of the Zimbabwean economy, which was heavily skewed in favour of the minority.

In the global village we live in today, the issue of security has assumed a new dimension, defined within the context of regional and even international domains instead of being country based. This invariably calls for closer co-operation between and among states in the fight against the scourge of cross-border crime which is being propelled by the economic and technological advancements we have witnessed since the turn of the 21^st century. Consequently, this sophistication of criminal elements has exposed societies to the scourge of crime. In this regard, we lend our full support to the Southern Africa Regional Police Chiefs Organization (SARPCCO), an organization which was formed nine years ago when police chiefs in the region found it imperative to promote mutual co-operation in arresting the wave of transnational crime. This noble endeavor should remain the springboard for stimulating regional economic growth through providing a safe and conducive environment for investment. The business efforts of our people need not be frustrated by criminal elements while our police forces fail to tap from the benefits of synergy, born out of co-operation in the region through SARPCCO. It is gratifying to note that the regional police forces jointly undertook numerous operations, which scored huge successes in 2003 under the aegis of SARPCCO under Zimbabwe chairmanship. Our challenge still remains in the area of controlling small arms trafficking, and other war debri, which the region is replete with, due to recent armed conflicts. Police Forces in the region are therefore, expected to develop strategies to ensure that such weapons are not turned on peace-loving people by criminals in all our communities.

The Police force of Zimbabwe and Tanzania enjoy a good working relationship. This is especially critical in contemporary policing, as cooperation results in the cross-pollination of ideas and experiences. Such interaction is laudable as it creates a solid foundation for developing new policing initiatives thereby fortifying our operational and managerial acumen. The government of Tanzania and indeed its police force, will work hand in glove with the government of Zimbabwe and the ZRP in areas that are beneficial to both police forces through bilateral protocols in an efforts to continue sharpening our law enforcement agents.

It is unfortunate that despite all these efforts directed towards forging partnerships in bringing criminal elements to book, our energies are still being stifled by bottlenecks and differences in the laws governing the extradition of offenders and repatriation of exhibits. Some member states of SARPCCO are yet to sign extradition agreements and this tends to create some pockets within the region, which act as refuges for fugitives from justice. It is therefore imperative that our governments swiftly move towards harmonizing these laws to effectively stamp out such impediments.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

A police force on its own cannot surmount the unenviable task of effectively combating crime and maintaining peace and stability. It should be borne in mind that its success in this endeavour is deeply rooted in the goodwill and co-operation of the whole community from whom any police force derives its mandate. The involvement of the public is thus a vital component of modern day policing. I therefore encourage officers of the Zimbabwe Republic Police to cultivate sound relationships with members of the community. This concept is in synchrony with the demands of policing in democratic dispensation, which our liberation movements ushered in at independence. I am informed that the ZRP will this year remarket its service charter with the sole intention of stationing itself closer to the people and providing the citizens of Zimbabwe with value laden service. This is a step in the right direction especially against the background of increasing advocacy in the area of human rights by a restless civil society the world over. The Tanzanian Police is also currently working out its client service charter.

In sending off the graduands today, I wish to advise them that they are joining a professional police force, which is respectable in the region and beyond. This requires a high standard of discipline and unflinching loyalty, values I believe have been inculcated in them during their training period. The competency of ZRP officers is evidenced by the continued invitations from the United Nations to serve in various flashy points across the globe including Kosovo, East Timor, Somalia, Angola, Liberia and recently Sierra Leone. This well documented professionalism does not only raise the Zimbabwean flag but also puts the whole of Southern Africa on the international policing map.

I also personally hold the ZRP with very high esteem for its excellent record in conflict mediation. Its ability and competence in handling riots with minimal casualty is commendable. Please keep it up.

Today’s graduation marks the beginning of a lucrative and rewarding career that demands a high level of integrity at all times. It is imperative to note that the police in society are viewed as the reservoirs of honesty, uprightness and austerity. The challenge confronting you the graduands is to go and quickly transform the theoretical principles learnt during your sojourn in this institution to excellent service delivery to the people of Zimbabwe. Once again, you will realize that the community that you will police has become increasingly conscious of its rights. This inevitably calls for high levels of professionalism and respect for human rights and dignity in the execution of your duties.

Lastly, I wish to commend you for the swift foot drill movements and immaculate turnout. May you keep up this standard of smartness and discipline throughout your career. To the best recruits I say Well Done.

Congratulations.

I thank you!