MARTIN MAWAYA
GWERU—Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Commissioner-General Stephen Mutamba has raised alarm over what he described as a shortage of bold and innovative commanders capable of implementing the force’s existing crime-fighting strategies, warning that weak leadership is undermining modern policing reforms.
The police chief made the remarks in a speech delivered on his behalf by Deputy Commissioner-General (Human Resources) Mind Elliot Ngirandi at the ZRP Women’s Network Junior Officers Capacity Building Workshop held in collaboration with the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) in Gweru yesterday.
Mutamba said that while the police service had well crafted strategies such as intelligence-led policing and community policing, their impact was being blunted by diffident leadership at command level.
“The expectation is clear; we want well-rounded commanders who are able to implement organisational strategies. The strategies are already in place, intelligence-led policing, community policing, you name them. What we lack at times are bold and innovative commanders,” Mutamba said.
He stressed that the ZRP was shifting towards continuous training as a way of producing confident and competent leaders, adding that every officer should expect to undergo at least two training programmes per year.
Mutamba said modern policing demanded commanders who were adaptable, research-oriented, and committed to lifelong learning, warning that failure to continuously update skills risked leaving the organisation stuck in outdated practices.
He said the collaboration with NUST was part of a broader strategy to capacitate police officers and align policing practice with contemporary security challenges, describing institutions of higher learning as “towers of knowledge and incubators of solutions.”
The police chief also singled out the workshop’s deliberate focus on female participation, saying it reflected a strategic commitment to inclusive capacity building and gender responsive leadership development within the force.
“Gender mainstreaming in capacity development ensures inclusivity and equity in organisational growth,” Mutamba said.
He urged the ZRP Women’s Network to ensure female officers fully utilise both professional and academic training opportunities, including those offered at the Police Staff College.
Mutamba added that quality policing was not accidental but a product of deliberate investment in skills development, mentorship, and peer support all crucial in tackling what he termed “diffident leadership syndrome” among some commanders.
He implored officers to translate their training into practical crime prevention and reduction strategies within their jurisdictions, warning against workshops becoming mere theoretical exercises.
The Commissioner-General also called on commanders to strengthen partnerships with sister security agencies, government departments, traditional leaders, politicians, churches, and the business community, highlighting that effective policing could not be achieved in isolation.
“Endear your community to understand policing needs in your area and transform them into integral allies in the fight against crime,” he said.
He noted that monitoring and oversight mechanisms would remain in place to reinforce accountability and professionalism, adding that station visits by senior officers should not be viewed as witch-hunts but as efforts to ensure operational readiness and ethical conduct.
The police chief said the workshop, which covers a range of managerial and leadership subjects, would equip junior officers with the skills needed to meet the evolving demands of modern policing.
