zwnews.com Political Reporter- Simba Moyo
President Robert Mugabe who is now known of looking sleepy at various fora, has praised his Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) department saying they are his trusted eyes and ears.
Addressing mourners at the burial of national hero Zenzo Ntuliki, at the National Heroes’ Acre over the weekend the President bragged that CIOs are his trusted eyes which see on his behalf.
Ntuliki was Zimbabwe’s western region director of CIOs, he died at Mater Dei Hospital, Bulawayo on 21 April after a long illness.
Mugabe said as leaders they don’t just make unnecessary activities and movements without someone clearing the way of any possible dangers.
He said leaders are protected, have ears and eyes other than their own, and that is their way of life. “Isu zvatiri pano, hatingo famba-famba zvisiri mugwara rinoonekwa nevaongorori vedu, nyanzvi dzedu dzine maziso, nyanzvi dzedu dzine nzeve, nyanzvi dzedu dzine ruzivo (We don’t just go around, travel without plan or guidance from our experts, who see and hear for us. They alert us that don’t use this road, there is a snake on the way,”
The President said once elected one need not to relax and think all is fine, but have to establish and surround self with some form of intelligence unit to work for their safety.
“Cde Ntuliki was eyes and ears of the late VP Joshua Nkomo for a long time I am sure you didn’t know him. You don’t have to know that anyway, but that is the work of our intelligence,” he added.
Mugabe said in 1977, Ntuliki was selected to undergo specialised security intelligence training in Bulgaria, and the curriculum included Very Important Persons’ protection. He was later deployed to the Eastern and Southern Fronts, and was later recalled to Zambia to reinforce VP Nkomo’s security, and protected Father Zimbabwe from several enemy attacks.
“Because of his exemplary leadership, he was promoted several times, rising to the rank of Detachment Commander. In 1980, Ntuliki joined the Zimbabwe Republic Police and later the President’s Department where he rose to become Assistant Director (Western Region responsible for Matabeleland South, Matabeleland),” said Mugabe.
Meanwhile, over the years, Mugabe has been using these secrete agents as spies on the people suspected to be opposition to his rule, including civilians. CIOs have been also blamed of threatening, terrorising, and causing opposition and human rights activists to disappear.
In most instances when such things happen, Mugabe and his cabal had declined having a hand in such horrific acts of inhumane. People like Zimbabwe Peace Project leader, Jestina Mukoko were once abducted and tortured by the authorities distanced themselves from the act.
