By Staff Reporter
Following the viral video of Harare’s municipal police office attacked a vendor with a button stick and kicks, triggering public outcry. The Mayor of Harare Cllr Jacob Mafume today met with Municipal officers as public outcry over the brutal video continues.
The Mayor who condemned the actions of his officers, promised to ensure Harare incorporates human rights modules into the training of their officers.
” We will introduce Human Rights courses for municipal police officer and traffic officers so that you are familiar with how you treat people,” said Mafume.
With Zimbabwe’s economy being highly informalised, vending has become the order of the day and running battles have been fought between the law enforcement arm of Harare city council and vendors. The viral video is nothing but a tip of the ice bag of what is happening on a daily basis on the streets of the capital.
It might be prudent for council to add awareness campaigns to spell out to the public,the jurisdiction of municipal police officers and parameters of their powers. Failure to do so might see the continuation of these battles resulting in flagrant abuse of power. Very few of the vendors really understand and appreciate the role of these officers, to them , they are just enemies against their livelihoods and the somewhat overzealous are also out to show vendors who wields the power.