At the height of the ongoing spiritism that has suddenly turned poor unemployed men and women into instant millionaire pastors and prophets, Zimbabwe’s own police boss, Gen. Augustine Chihuri has started a church group of his own leading.
The church has Gen. Chihuri as its pastoral head which means officers are forced to attend every day Friday to Sunday.
The development which has since infuriated police officers, was confirmed in an interview with the ZRP spokesperson, Charity Charamba to ZimEye.com on Saturday (interview at the bottom of the article).
At a time officers are meant to be on the streets fighting crime, they are being allegedly “ordered” to attend the church services for stretches of time up to (5) five hours each day.
Cops have since reacted in anger over the new “church” saying they are forced to attend its services adding that Chihuri is the very pastor thereof.
“Police officers are being forced to join the church where the commissioner General Chihuri is the pastor. From Friday to Sunday all police officers are forced to be part of a church service at Ross camp. Where are we going with this human rights abuse?,” a source told ZimEye. “It is a ZRP church service,” they continued.
“They would have wanted more officers to attend, but they are restricted by the space available. Friday the service started at 1700 hours and ended at 2300 hours. Today(Saturday) it starts at 0800 hours up to 1800 hours and Sunday from 0800 hours to 1300 hours.”
Denial.
When contacted yesterday, Police Spokesperson Charity Charamba charged back in denial saying no officer is forced to attend the services.
“If they (police officers) report to you is it going to change anything?,” she said.
She continued, “Because no one has ever been forced and they are free not to come. No one has been forced. Zimbabwe has got free denomination(sic) you go where you want, no one has ever been forced,” she said.
She went on to say, “our country has got free access to religion, so no one has ever been forced to go to church.”
When grilled over the grouping what classification it is; if it is just an informal fellowship or a full fledged church organisation, Mrs Charamba was non-committal.
It was also not clear at the time of writing if Gen Chihuri collects offering money at the function and to obtain the clarity, Assistant Commissioner Charamba told ZimEye to visit her offices for a face to face interview.
Do As What I Say Not As What I DoMeanwhile, sources slammed Gen. Chihuri saying he is claiming to be spiritual when he allegedly abuses them. “He is the sole preacher in the service but surprisingly during day to day policing, he does not practice what he teaches in the service,” they said.
They continued, “every now and again members are forced to part with their hard earned cash to contribute towards Kuyedza club, a club headed by his wife. Kuyedza club proceeds are believed to be benefiting a clique of few senior officers. Members are again forced to buy stationary used on day to day duties. This is the reason why most of the officers are bitter about being forced to attend the service.”
Source: This story was first published On Zim Eye.
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