Zim police commissioner-general booed during Mnangagwa’s swearing-in

Zimbabwe police commissioner Augustine Chihuri was booed during the inauguration of the new Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa when pledging his allegiance to the new leader.

Bulawayo24 reports the booing was maybe associated with the police’s attempt to arrest defence forces commander Constantino Chiwenga when he arrived from China after Mnangagwa had been unfairly dismissed from government and Zanu-PF.

It is understood that Mugabe and his G40 ministers had resolved that Chiwenga be arrested over his alleged links with Mnangagwa, as he was viewed as a threat to the reign of the G40.

The publication wrote that an observer at the proceedings that took place at the National Sports stadium earlier today noticed that when Chihuri was declaring his allegiance, people in the crowd booed him.

“If I was Augustine Chihuri, the chief of police, I would simply resign under the pretext of retirement. He is now a tainted figure. That booing is the longest I have ever witnessed in this country of a public official,” the observer was quoted.

Meanwhile, it is believed calls are mounting that Chihuri must be fired from the force or he must simply retire.

Chihuri is a war veteran who received his military training at Mgagao in Tanzania. He took over the reigns as acting commissioner in 1991, replacing Henry Mkurazhizha. Two years later he was appointed a police commissioner. In 2008, he was appointed commissioner-general of police when the post was created to replace that of commissioner. His term was extended by four years in 2013.

This makes him the longest-serving police chief at the helm for more than 23 years, having been rewarded with a contract renewal more than 13 times since 1997.

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