By Chantelle Muzanenhamo
The newly appointed Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Commissioner-General, Stephen Mutamba, officially took the helm of the police service on Friday during a ceremony held at Mkushi Depot (formerly known as Morris Depot) in Harare.
His appointment follows the retirement of Commissioner Tandabantu Godwin Matanga, who vacated the position upon the directive of President Emmerson Mnangagwa on December 31, 2024.
In a heartfelt keynote address, Mutamba outlined his vision for the future of the ZRP, emphasizing his commitment to transforming the force into a modern and corruption-free institution.
He stressed the importance of leveraging technology to fulfill the police service’s constitutional mandate.
“I hope to build on the already reinforced pillars to ensure that the Zimbabwe Republic Police indeed becomes a modern police service that leverages technology towards fulfilling its Constitutional mandate,” he stated.
Mutamba highlighted that discipline would remain a cornerstone of the organization as he seeks to foster a renewed culture within the police force, urging all officers to remain steadfast in their duties.
The ceremony was marked by the presence of key figures in government and security, including the Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Kazembe Kazembe; Minister of State for National Security, Lovemore Matuke; the then Director General of the Central Intelligence Organisation, Isaac Moyo; and Commander of the Zimbabwe National Army, Lieutenant General Anselem Sanyatwe, along with other senior officials.
As he steps into this crucial leadership role, Mutamba’s promise to uphold integrity and embrace technological advancements sets the stage for potential changes within an institution tasked with maintaining law and order in Zimbabwe.
The ZRP has for long been touted one of the most corrupt institutions according public perception. A research done by a youth organisation, Youth Forum Zimbabwe indicated the public perceive the police force as one of the most corrupt institutions in the country. It remains to be seen if the new police chief will be able to successfully clean the battered image of the force.