9 credible evidence that Mwale had petrol-bombed a vehicle carrying two Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party activists, killing the activists. Although the Attorney General’s office has recently shown some willingness to prosecute in this regard, the partisan nature of the police force continues to manifest itself in the implausible excuses they offer for inaction, allegedly on the instructions of the Minister of State Security15. There are no indications from government of any intention to disband the Border Gezi youth militia, though some centres have closed due to a lack of resources. During youth militia training the youths are politically indoctrinated and are taught to hate and attack members of the opposition. Militia personnel are most active during important political events. The youth militia was deployed when the new currency was being introduced16. During the so-called “Operation Sunrise” roadblocks were mounted throughout the country and most vehicles subjected to search for large sums of cash, suspected to have been hoarded for illegal black market foreign currency transactions. The militia took part in this operation, reportedly harassing motorists and commuters, and in some instances, allegedly strip-searching members of the public and stealing cash.17 It is also reported that youth militia are being used to enforce price control regulations.18 A number of government training programmes now only admit youth militia graduates, such as nurse training and a training programme for media practitioners at a state institution. There are now plans to draft hundreds of youth militia graduates into the civil service in 2007. They will be employed as “youth development officers”, mostly in the rural areas, but it is believed that the main function of these youths will be to campaign on behalf of the ruling party ahead of the elections in 2008.19 The Government is continuing to politicize the law enforcement agencies by rooting out officers perceived to be sympathetic to the opposition. The Minister of Home Affairs has announced that the size of the police force is being expanded from 23 000 to 50 000 and the budget for the police will be greatly increased.20 The law enforcement agencies continue to play a key role in the suppression of opposition to the Mugabe government. There has also been an increasing militarization of the Zimbabwean state, with army officers being appointed to key positions on various government bodies and parastatals and the army being used in various roles, for instance in the agricultural sector. 15 16 “Security Minister Blocks Arrest of Zimbabwe Secret Agent” Zim Online 25/11/06 Inflation of over 1000% necessitated the introduction of a new currency. 17 “Soldiers, Militia on the Rampage Zimbabwe” Standard 6/08/06 18 “ZANU- PF youths enforce price controls” Zim Online 16 November 2006 “Mugabe to draft youth militia into civil service” Zim Online 15 November 2006 19 20 “Government to increase police force” Sunday News, Zimbabwe 28 May 2006 Zimbabwe’s Failure to meet the Benchmarks in the Contonou Agreement