Social media comes to cop’s rescue

A POLICEMAN who was facing imminent forced retirement for requesting to be transferred to Kadoma to look after his disabled child has been granted his will after Zimbabweans took to social media to fight in his corner.

The policeman, identified as Constable Chitembetembe, had the shock of his life when his request was denied by the Mashonaland West provincial commanding officer Assistant Commissioner Tawonei Nyazema.

Nyazema gave Chitembetembe a 24hour ultimatum to choose between his disabled child’s welfare and his job.

The junior officer was seeking transfer from Siakobvu to any police station in Kadoma district to be near his disabled child.

In 2021, the child was placed at Rubatsiro Zimcare Trust in Kadoma. His wife works as a schoolteacher in Kwekwe.

In dismissing the request, Nyazema said: “Member to retire on 24-hour notice or stay at Chalala Post. Choose any of the two options.”

The leaked response, however, went viral on social media, inviting a public outcry, which prompted Police Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga to intervene.

However, national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said Matanga had corrected the mistake and ordered that Chitembetembe be transferred.

“The public is accordingly advised that the Commissioner-General of Police, Tandabantu Godwin Matanga, has immediately corrected the anomaly and directed the Zimbabwe Republic Police’s human resources department to ensure that the member’s family welfare is prioritised,” he said.

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police takes this opportunity to thank all who raised concern over this viral social media post on the member’s family welfare.”