Schedule to the Act.
Appointment of Special Police Liaison Officer
•
Section 133H places a duty on the Commissioner General of Police to appoint a senior police
officer for each provincial centre who will be the special police liaison officer responsible for the
expeditious investigation of cases of politically-motivated violence or intimidation within that
province which come to the attention of the police, a multiparty liaison committee, the
Commission or the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (hereafter, “ZHRC”) during the
election period.
Significantly, this appointment must be done “in consultation with” the
Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission, which is a constitutional body responsible for oversight on
observance of human rights.
Special Investigation Committees
•
The special police liaison officer will be assisted by Special Investigation Committees set up in
each province during elections by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (in consultation with
the Commission). The SIC will direct the special police liaison officer to investigate cases of
politically-motivated violence and intimidation during election periods. The members may resolve
to accompany the special police liaison officer in his investigations and where they choose to do
this, they will be entitled to powers of peace officers under the legislation for criminal
investigations, i.e. the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act (Chapter 9: 07).
•
The SIC will be chaired by a ZHRC Commissioner or a member of the ZHRC’s staff chosen by the
ZHRC and will consist of the special police liaison officer for the relevant province, two
representatives of each political party taking part in the election. Where an independent
candidate is contesting a Presidential election, he is entitled to also appoint two representatives.
There is however no provision for independent parliamentary candidates to have representation
in the SIC.
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