THE new Commissioner-General of Police, Stephen Mutamba this Friday officially took over the reins of the country’s police service at a colourful ceremony held in Harare.
Mutamba replaced Godwin Matanga, who was retired on January 1, 2025.
President Mnangagwa, for unknown reasons, recently retired Matanga and elevated his deputy to assume overall leadership at Police General Headquarters (PGHQ).
Speaking during a handover-and-takeover event at Mkushi Depot (formerly Morris Depot) in Harare this Friday, Matanga dispelled rumour that he wanted to cling on to his lofty post citing irregularities in his retirement procedure.
Matanga said he was properly served with notice of his retirement by Mnangagwa’s office, quashing rumour that he had reported for duty after his dismissal from the service.
“May l take this opportunity to clarify an incorrect position that has been peddled in the media recently pertaining to my retirement.
“Ladies and gentlemen, listen carefully, I was properly served by the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, His Excellency Cde Dr. E.D. Mnangagwa at a time when my retirement was due,” he explained.
His utterances cleared the air after social media reported the outgoing police chief had dramatically reported for duty, claiming he was not properly dismissed.
The outgoing police chief said he was delighted to address officers and officials witnessing the change of guard.
“For me personally, it is a boundless moment of delight as I bid farewell to longstanding colleagues to an organisation that I served over a long period of time.
“Alas, the day will certainly come when we have to separate from the organisation that we have so much and equally drew a lot of friendships, experiences and livelihoods…
“Allow me, therefore, to express my heartfelt gratitude to His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe Cde Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa for according me the privilege to serve the nation in the Office of the Commissioner General Police.”
He added: “I am grateful for his guidance and indeed the security infrastructure for their enduring support during my tenure. More importantly, my sincere gratitude goes to the general public of Zimbabwe, my regional peers and the regional police chiefs and the media for the support they rendered to my tenure.
“I am, however, confident that a new broom sweeps clean, and my successor will be able to ride on my achievements that we have made and tackle existing challenges head on.
“I am comforted to pass the baton to Cde Stephen Mutamba whom l have been with in the trenches for so many years and have known his capacity to steer the ship going forward.”
Matanga thanked all the deputy Commissioner Generals and junior ranking cops for their unwavering support during his tenure.
“I wish to also thank all senior officers and junior officers and members of the police service who shared and advanced the vision of the organisation through the provision of quality police service to the people of our great nation,” he added.
“I am so content with the contribution and service l gave to the country in pursuit of national goals and aspirations.”
Matanga admitted and regretted failure to meet some of his set targets amid crippling shortage of resources.
“Suffice to say the bar to modernise the police service is relatively high in view of resource constraints, skills plight and crippling sanctions we have endured for decades among other challenges,” said Matanga, who revealed he will venture into full-time farming.
In attendance at the historic handover-and-takeover ceremony was Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe, State Security Minister Lovemore Matuke, CIO boss Isaac Moyo, Army Commander Anselem Sanyatwe and Air Marshall Jacob Nzvede.
Prior to the Friday event, an organisation claiming to represent children of war veterans, COZWA, made sensational allegations that Matanga reported at his Harare offices in full police uniform arguing he was yet to receive official communication of his marching orders.
COZWA proceeded to make sensational claims that the police’s Support Unit, Alpha Troop had been put on standby to forcibly remove him from office.
