In the National Assembly on Tuesday 19th December, Mr Speaker Mudenda made the following announcement:
On the 6th of December, 2017, Hon. Gonese raised a point of privilege concerning the deployment of our security services, particularly the army. I had promised Hon. Gonese that I would engage His Excellency, the President and come back to this august House to advise accordingly.
His Excellency the President, through the Minister of Defence, Security and War Veterans has written this letter to inform us:
“Reference: Deployment of Defence Forces in Support of the Police Service in the Maintenance of Public Order.
“I write to you Hon. Speaker with respect to the above subject matter. As you are aware Sir, in terms of sub Section 1 and 2 of Section 213, deployment of Defence Forces in the Constitution, the Defence Forces may be deployed in Zimbabwe in support of the Police Service in the maintenance of public order. Only the President as the Commander in Chief of Defence Forces has the power to authorise such deployment. When the Defence Forces have been so deployed to assist in the maintenance of public order, Section 214 which refers to the political accountability for deployment of Defence Forces requires that the President must cause Parliament to be informed promptly and in appropriate detail of reason for their deployment and place where they are deployed.
In compliance with the above requirement, His Excellency the President of Zimbabwe and Commander in Chief of the Defence Forces has instructed me, that is the Minister of Defence, to inform Parliament as follows:-