Service Chiefs are holding secret meetings with President Robert Mugabe, by-passing their responsible ministerial bosses.
The officers who are supposed to report to their responsible ministers who in turn then report to the President, are
Zimbabwe’s Service Chiefs are Army Commander Constantine Chiwenga, Police Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri, Airforce Commander Perence Shiri and Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services Commissioner General Paradzai Zimbondi.
Mugabe, who has ruled the country since independence in 1980, has been using state security agents including these not only to spy on the opposition, but also his top officials.
The by-passing of ministers by Mugabe’s Service Chiefs was a major issue during the tenure of the unity government the aging leader had with the MDC formations between 2009-2013. The MDCs then complained that Service Chiefs were not respecting them and were defying their duty.
Mugabe used the same tactic to fire his former deputy, Joice Mujuru, where he said that he obtained the information of Mujuru plotting to assassinate him from his security.
It emerged in parliament, Monday that Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri who had been summoned by parliament did not turn up because he was having a security meeting with the President.
Dextor Nduna, the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport who had  summoned Chihuri to come and  explain the heavy police presence on most roads and the controversy surrounding payment of spot fines announced that because of the security meeting, Chihuri was having with the President , the Police chief could not turn up.
“The Commissioner-General has apologised for his non-attendance today (yesterday) and we have interrogated the issue with Parliament administration,” he said.
“We will have to schedule another day for the hearing because Chihuri gives briefs to the Head of State President Robert Mugabe every Monday morning and so he could not attend the committee meeting.”