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Mnangagwa’s Top Cop On The Move Again.
21 September 2020
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Paul Nyathi

The Zimbabwe Republic Police has redeployed one of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s favourite police officers, Commissioner Erasmus Makodza, as the new Officer Commanding for Matabeleland North while Commissioner Charles Nhete has been transferred to Harare province as the Officer Commanding of the province.

Commissioner Makodza is being moved for the third time since Mnangagwa took over from former President Robert Mugabe in a military coup in 2017.

Commisioner Makodza has held numerous senior deployments in the police force that includ being the Officer Commanding CID Bulawayo Province, Officer Commanding Mashonaland East and Harare Provinces as well as the Commander 2018 elections, amongst other deployments.

Makodza was first moved when several senior police officers have been forced out, accused of failing to prevent fuel protests that gripped the country on January 14 2018.

Bulawayo, the epicentre of the protests which later turned violent with dozens of shops being looted, was put under a new commander after Senior Assistant Commissioner Happymore Sigauke was ordered to retire,

Commissioner Makodza was made the new police chief for Mashonaland East, taking over from Senior Assistant Commissioner Lee Muchemwa who was also retired after protests rocked Marondera, the province’s capital.

The purge was meant to punish police chiefs who failed to come down hard on protesters. Mnangagwa deployed the army, which was accused of shooting at least 100 people and killing over a dozen people.

In mid may when plans for the July 31 protests were being laidout, Commissioner Makodza was immediately transferred to head Harare Province where the protests were meant to focus.

He replaced Comm Bernard Dumbura, who transferred to Police General Headquarters (PGHQ).

Many will remember him defending the suspect postal voting by police officers at Ross Camp in Bulawayo.

In a statement released on Monday, National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the latest transfers effected by the Commissioner General of the Zimbabwe Republic Police.

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police confirms that the Commisioner General of Police has effected the following transfers in the police.

Commisioner Erasmus Makodza has been transferred from Harare Province to Matabeleland North Province as Officer Commanding while Commisioner Charles Nhete has been transferred to Harare Province as Officer commanding,” reads the statement.

The transfers have been explained as routine transfers meant to strengthen the police operational effectiveness.