MUTAMBA’S APPOINTMENT SHOWS HOW ZANU PF WANTS FULL CONTROL OF ZIMBABWE

The appointment of Stephen Mutamba as the new police commissioner general shows again how the Zanu PF regime wants full control over Zimbabwe. For many years people knew that President Emmerson Mnangagwa wanted Mutamba in this position. This move is not about good service or helping the people. It is about keeping power and making sure no one can challenge the system.

Mutamba is a close ally of Mnangagwa and his rise in the police has been planned for a long time. He is taking over from Tandabantu Godwin Matanga, who has been in the position since December 2017. Matanga was always meant to be a temporary leader, but like many things under this regime, it took too long. Even now, after Mutamba has been appointed, Matanga will still lead the police until the end of December 2024. This creates a strange situation where two people are seen as leaders at the same time.

Matanga’s time in office started after the 2017 coup that removed Robert Mugabe from power. Augustine Chihuri, the former commissioner general, was pushed out, and Matanga came in to help secure Mnangagwa’s new rule. Even though Matanga had been in the police since 1982, his leadership did not change anything for the people. The police stayed corrupt, brutal, and far from serving citizens in a fair way.

Now the country faces something even worse with Mutamba. His rise shows that loyalty to Mnangagwa is more important than skill or fairness. In 2019 he was moved from Crime to Operations, giving him more power. In 2021 he went to Administration, growing stronger inside the system and becoming trusted by the regime as someone who will protect their interests.

Mutamba has also been linked to many actions that weaken democracy. In 2022 the United States put sanctions on him for helping suppress opposition parties and civil society. They accused him of using the police to intimidate and harass political opponents of Zanu PF. During COVID-19 lockdowns, he was accused of allowing Zanu PF events while blocking the opposition. This showed how the police were used not for health reasons but for political control.

There are also accusations that he worked to hide vote tallies during elections and tried to stop international observers from watching Zimbabwe’s polls. All these actions destroyed trust in the election system. Many people now believe elections in Zimbabwe are not free or fair and are controlled by the ruling party.

His appointment tells the whole country one thing: the regime does not care about reform or democracy. It only wants to stay in power. Under Mutamba, the police will most likely become even more of a weapon used to silence anyone who speaks out.

This is not a time to celebrate a new leader in the police. It is a time to think deeply about how far the country has fallen under Mnangagwa’s rule. Institutions that should protect the public now protect a small group of people in power. The police force has become a tool for Zanu PF instead of serving the people of Zimbabwe.

Mutamba’s rise is a sign that the struggle for democracy is not close to ending. Activists, opposition members, and ordinary citizens should prepare for more difficult times. The regime is making it clear that it will silence anyone who stands up for truth and justice.

As future elections come, Zimbabweans must stay alert and speak out when they can. The international community must also watch closely how the regime continues to destroy democratic freedoms. Sanctions alone are not enough. Zimbabwe needs real pressure and strong support for people fighting for change.

Mutamba’s appointment is not about leadership. It is about controlling the country and protecting a corrupt elite while ordinary citizens suffer. This is the sad truth of Zimbabwe under Mnangagwa’s rule, a nation trapped by those who pretend to lead it.