Augustine Chihuri

Personal Details

Born: 10 March 1953.

School / Education

August 2015: graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy Degree from Mount Camel Institute of Business.
His thesis The History of Policing in Zimbabwe was released as a book on 25 September 2015. ^[3]
No other information could be found on his Junior or High School, or any other tertiary education.

Service / Career

Chihuri was a member of the Zimbabwe People's Army which was an attempt at unifying the two major military outfits ZANLA and ZIPRA of the Nationalist parties fighting for Zimbabwe's independence, ZANU and ZAPU respectively. Chihuri was reportedly imprisoned, along with other ZIPRA leadership after a meeting convened by Samora Machel where Robert Mugabe was present during the war for Zimbabwe's Independence. His name during the Second Chimurenga was "Chocha."

Chihuri has been in the ZRP for more than 23 years. His contract as Head of the ZRP was renewed over 13 times since 1997. ^[2] He took over the reigns as Acting Commissioner in 1991 replacing Henry Mkurazhizha. Two years later he became substantive Police Commissioner in 1993. In 2008 he was appointed to Commissioner General of Police when the post was created to replace that of Commissioner. His term was extended by four years.

Events

Involvement in Zanu-PF

Declaration to Party

Chihuri was reported to have openly declared his allegiance to the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (Zanu PF) in 2001 and continued to do so for much of his career as police commissioner afterward. This revelation had mixed reactions, especially coming from for a police commissioner. Chihuri was quoted to have threatened to sack all senior police officers who were accused of backing the opposition party MDC-T. ^[4]

Chihuri was reported to have indicated that members of the Z.R.P who did not support Zanu-PF should leave the force and that he himself would not serve under an M.D.C government. ^[5]

Factionalism

Regardless of publicly announcing his allegiance to Zanu PF under Mugabe, Chihuri was accused as being a member of the Mujuru faction when the battle to succeed Mugabe intensified before the party's 6th Congress held in Harare in December 2014. It was reported that service chiefs were supporting Joice Mujuru who was accused of harbouring ambitions to oust Robert Mugabe from being the country's president as well as the party's first secretary. ^[6] It was reported that on 18 November 2014, Chihuri tendered his resignation letter to Mugabe after Mugabe had earlier on expressed his displeasure with his work. ^[7]

Dismissal Bids

Reports circulated that Mugabe had indicated that he was not keen to extend Chihuri's contract, something that he was accustomed to since Chihuri's appointment in 1993. ^[8] Trust Mugova was indicated as the suitable and preferred candidate to replace Chihuri. The issue to oust Chihuri eventually subsided. Chihuri was reportedly forced to announce that he was not aligned to the Mujuru faction and Charity Charamba issued a press statement dismissing allegations that the police force was behind Mujuru. ^[9]

On 13 January 2015, it was reported that some Zanu PF members targeting security chiefs began to call for Chihuri's ouster again. ^[9] They claimed that he failed to repent, thus remaining closely associated with ousted Mujuru, necessitating his failure to arrest Mujuru as well as ordering investigations on corruption allegations levelled against Joice Mujuru. Chihuri vowed to take into consideration Mugabe's calls to bring to book those accused of being corrupt at Morris Depot during a pass parade. ^[10] Chihuri's stance was viewed as a move to exonerate himself from being aligned to the Mujuru faction.

Involvement in Corruption

In 2013 Chihuri was accused of fraud by other police officers. He allegedly integrated more than 15 000 unqualified civilian personnel and went ahead to give them force numbers. Some of them were said to have been promoted to the ranks of Sergeants and Assistant Inspectors, despite having not even sat for the mandatory promotional examinations. ^[11] These are said to have been untrained civilians and ZANU PF youth militia.

In June 2014, it was reported that Chihuri illegally forced Bazil Nyapokoto (a detective within the ZRP) to resign after he testified against the police force. The police force agreed to pay damages amounting to US$64 000 to Nyapokoto within two months.^[12] Nyapokoto petitioned the president to intervene as the police force was reluctant to own up to its promise.^[13]

On 6 November 2014, Justice Lavender Makoni of the High Court of Zimbabwe, ordered Chihuri and Kembo Mohadi to pay US$3 500 to Fatima Manhondo following her unwarranted attacks by the police force in October 2014.^[14] Chihuri and Mohadi failed to appear in court.

In January 2015 Chihuri together with Mohadi were accused of failing to respect a court order from the High Court of Zimbabwe which mandated them to protect villagers at Arnold Farm in Mazowe District from being forcibly evicted from the farm to pave way for Grace Mugabe who was claimed to be the new owner of the farm. ^[15] This move was viewed as an attempt by Chihuri to prove that he was still loyal to Mugabe by supporting his wife to 'illegally' seize control of Arnold Farm.

Chelpac / Kidsdale / Pachirera

In 2019, Augustine Chihuri and two serving senior officers faced arrest on charges of criminal abuse office, after Chihuri allegedly instructed Superintendent Edward Marodza and Inspector Joseph Nemaisa to arrest a Harare couple and illegally grab their fleet of vehicles and title deeds to a Harare house at gunpoint on trumped up criminal charges.

Bigboy Pachirera, was the director of Chelpac Investments Private Limited, and was once transport manager at Chihuri’s company called Kidsdale Enterprises Private Limited. He worked for Chihuri between 1998 and December 2013. Around September 2013, Chihuri allegedly trumped up criminal charges against Mr Pachirera before assigning Marodza to lead the investigation team. Pachirera was charged with corruptly concealing from a principal a personal interest in a transaction as defined under Section 173(1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act. He was also charged with theft of trust property as well as fraud.

Mr Pachirera was accused of defrauding Chihuri of $81 000 despite the fact that no audit report had been compiled in respect of Kidsdale. Chihuri made a formal report against Pachirera at Chitungwiza Police Station on 9 September 2013, and asked Nemaisa to lead the team of investigators.

On 21 December 2013, Marodza placed Mr Pachirera’s Tipper trucks, which were parked along Sherwood Road in Waterfalls, under police guard. He had to send armed police officers to do the guard duties. The following day, Marodza summoned Mr Pachirera to his office where he demanded company registration documents for Chelnpac Investments. Mr Pachirera complied and was later locked up at Harare Central Police Station. He was transferred to Chitungwiza police cells before being taken to court when the permissible detention period had lapsed. A Chitungwiza magistrate unconditionally released Mr Pachirera citing over-detention.

In January 2014, police officers, without any court order, seized two construction trucks belonging to Mr Pachirera worth $250 000. The vehicles were taken to Vehicle Theft Squad in Southerton despite the fact that it was not stolen property. In the same month, the detectives led by Nemaisa also arrested Mrs Pachirera and demanded to be shown more property belonging to Mr Pachirera.

Marodza was stationed at Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Marondera District headquarters while Nemaisa was at Chikurubi Support Unit.

Health Problems

Chihuri collapsed during a three-hour parade for new recruits in May 2014. It was reported that he collapsed while standing next to President Robert Mugabe and was immediately taken away on a stretcher to receive medical attention. ^[16] He returned to his seat 30 minutes after being attended to by Minister of Lands and Rural Resettlement Dr. Douglas Mombeshora and a team of paramedics. After returning to his seat Chihuri apologized to Mugabe and the nation for the mishap. He also commended Mugabe's fitness as they had gone through the same paces for three hours and Mugabe had not shown any signs of weariness. ^[17]

Retirement

On 18 December 2017, it was announced that Chihuri was sent for leave pending his retirement. This happened after Emmerson Mnangagwa had been inaugurated as the President of Zimbabwe. Chihuri was booed by members of the public after pledging his loyalty to the new President on the inauguration day. He had served the police force for 23 years. He was dismissed on the day the military announced the end of Operation Restore Legacy. Chihuri was succeeded by Godwin Matanga.

On Monday 18 December, it was announced that General Constantino Chiwenga is to leave the ‘army’ (the Zimbabwe Defence Forces), and awaits deployment to a new position.
General Philip Valerio Sibanda is to leave as commander of the Zimbabwe National Army and will replace Chiwenga as commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.
Police Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri, retirement is also announced. ^[18]

Mantainence Lawsuit

In March 2018 a police officer Sithulisiwe Mthimkhulu took former Commissioner-General Chihuri to court for alleged non-payment of maintenance. The police officer reportedly had an affair with Chihuri ino which they sired a daughter. Part of the court papers read:

Respondent Augustine Chihuri was the Commissioner-General of the Zimbabwe Republic Police since 1981, while I was his subordinate. He has since retired but I am still in the force. Respondent and I have a child together born on 2 July 2009.

When it was time for us to go and get the child’s certificate, the respondent refused. I ended up doing it all on my own and that is why the child bears my surname and not his. Over the years and ever since I was pregnant, the respondent has been neglecting to take care of his daughter.^[19]

Bona Mugabe marriage/divorce

In March 2023, Bona Mugabe filled for divorce from Simba Chikowore. At their marriage on 1 March 2014 at the Blue Roof Mansion in Borrowdale, wedding gifts included:

• Robert and Grace Mugabe gave US$100 000 and 55 head of cattle.
• Local mining company gave US$100 000.
• Equatorial Guinea President and wife, gave US$35 000.
• Businessman Mr Ihmad Ahmed gave US$50 000.
• Gabriel Mugabe and wife gave US$25 000, plus 10 head of cattle.
• Zaoga (FIF) Qatar, (where Mr Chikore is a senior elder), gave US$2 600.
• Zambian President Mr Michael Sata and his wife Dr Christine Kaseba gave a gift hamper worth about US$4 000.
• Nicholas Goche, (then Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister) gave US$2 000.
• Zimbabwe Republic Police represented by then Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri gave US$10 000. ^{[20] [21]}

References