JUSTICE IN ZIMBABWE 46 ____________________________________________________________________ “If selling the country to Western imperialism and neo-colonialism is what they regard as competence I would rather be described as incompetent. Those stooges of Western imperialism and neo-colonialism who cherish their chains of servitude ..." Building a political police force Prior to the June 2000 General Election there were many instances when the police turned a blind eye to violence being perpetrated against MDC supporters and white farmers. The excuse used for non-intervention in cases involving white farmers was either it was a political matter, which they could not get involved in, or that they did not have transport to attend the scene. Although some members of the force tried to continue to carry out their duties professionally in a politically neutral manner, there are numerous cases in which the police have failed to intervene or to investigate murder, rape, torture or the destruction of property by the “war veterans”. In one appalling incident, a commercial farmer was taken from a police station and killed by “war veterans”. After the General Election the police force became increasingly partisan in favour of the ruling party. Police and army personnel attacked people in urban areas to punish them for voting for the MDC. Police officers seen reading independent newspapers were regarded as disloyal; those who tried to enforce the law on a non-partisan basis were transferred73 or demoted; and some senior officers left in disgust over the political abuse of the police force.74 One senior officer who took action to save a foreign businessman’s enterprise from the “war veterans” was told to pack his bags and report to a police station. To justify his purge of senior officers, Commissioner Chihuri alleged that there were reactionary elements in the force, remnants of the Rhodesian Selous Scouts and the British South Africa Police (BSAP). 75 In July 2001 he told a government-controlled newspaper that police officers thought to support opposition political parties would be sacked; an undisclosed number of officers have already been dismissed on these grounds.76 “War veterans” in the police force received rapid promotion and more were recruited into the force. In March 2001 it was reported that more than 300 war veterans were promoted, some of whom were said to be illiterate.77 A number of these war veterans have been placed in effective charge of rural police stations. These officers have not