Elsewhere in this newspaper we carry a story about the general loss of confidence in the police force. The police are also viewed as the most corrupt public servants in Zimbabwe today.This perception is reinforced by reports from travellers who tell horror stories of extortion at road blocks. Long distance bus drivers have to carry cash in order to smooth their passage. Commuter bus drivers know that they have to share their takings with the traffic cops.
One thing is certain – the police cannot be trusted to maintain law and order. Recently, Zanu (PF) thugs who were being escorted by the police on a planned march ran amok and looted shops in broad daylight and the police claimed they were unable to prevent them.
Local Government Minister, Ignatious Chombo, has abused his position to loot numerous council properties around Zimbabwe. When some councillors reported him to the police, they ended up on the receiving end of ZRPs wrath. They were themselves arrested.
Over the past decade there have been countless reports of victims of political violence being arrested when they went to report to the police.
Zimbabweans whose property has been stolen by Zanu (PF) thugs have been arrested for trying to recover their goods from the known thieves. In Harare recently there were reports of residents being evicted from their houses, which were then occupied by Zanu (PF) hooligans. The residents were themselves arrested.
In some cases, the police have told victims of violence that it was political and so they cannot get involved. But on the few isolated occasions when the victims retaliate, it suddenly is no longer political and the police jump in to defend the thugs.
We were not surprised at the weekend when we read about Zanu (PF) turncoat, Jonathan Moyo, calling for the police to arrest Minister of Finance, Tendai Biti, for daring to suggest that Zimbabwe should conduct an audit of money received from diamond sales which had not made its way into the national coffers as it should have done.
We support Bitis call. Transparency and accountability are vital the only way forward for our country.
The police can only operate effectively in an environment where the people have confidence in them. Zimbabwe desperately needs a total transformation of the force.
Post published in: Editor: Wilf Mbanga