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Crime Reporter
CRIMES of concern increased by 17 percent during the past eight months in Chitungwiza as compared to the same period last year and police have come up with a range of strategies to fight against the criminals.
Some of the crimes rampant in the area include robberies and thefts. In a bid to improve police visibility, the Zengeza Crime Liaison Committee recently built a police base at Chikwanha Shopping Centre which they yesterday handed over to the police.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, officer commanding Harare province Commissioner Wonder Tembo said the Guzha Township Police Base was yet another milestone in community policing in Chitungwiza district and Harare province at large.
“This new impressive building ushers in a stint of relief to the local people who had to travel long distances to seek police services,” he said. “Today, our ZRP dream of bringing police services to your doorsteps has been fulfilled, thanks to the crime liaison committee for making it possible.
“And, it is no doubt that our response to your various crime problems will now be quicker and better than before. Note that the crime figures for ZRP Zengeza from January to August 2023 show a total of 2 792 criminal cases, compared to 2 383 cases that were received during the same period last year, pointing to a 17 percent increase.
“Sadly, over 30 percent of all the reported cases in the current and or previous years have been coming from this township (Chikwanha). We thus find the construction of this base a timely and commendable move.”
Comm Tembo said with the setting up of the base, the community was set to witness a tremendous fall in the number of robberies, smash and grabs, general thefts and other crimes which had become a thorn in the flesh for the locals.
“Our statistics reveal numerous reports of local people being waylaid and mugged in the dark by robbers here,” he said. “After committing the heinous crimes, the criminals would flee into the Mayambara area.
“The majority of the victims, I must say, have been beer drinkers who would be going home late after having their time with friends at the local pubs.
“We have also had countless reports of parked cars being broken into and valuables stolen.
“For this, we, however, continue to urge motorists to be careful about where and how they park their cars. Needless to say, Guzha Township is one of the busiest areas in Chitungwiza which would definitely need increased security.”
Comm Tembo said police were going to deploy many officers at the base for a seamless service.
“I am also taking this opportunity, ladies and gentlemen, to declare war on drug dealers inhabiting in this area. We are coming after you; be warned. The majority of modern-day criminalities have some link to the uptake of drugs,” he said.
“Honestly, no sane and sober man would, for instance, abuse his daughter, mother or sister. This must just stop.
“Need I also mention that we are currently on an operation to crack down on errant drivers in our city. The message must be clear that we do not want illegal pirating or mushikashika, dangerous parking and the use of unroadworthy vehicles on the roads.
“We are not going to relent or falter until there is sanity in our city. With stakeholders’ support, we are proud to say that we have managed to establish a speed monitoring control room at Harare Central police station, which will help us to ensure that public service vehicle drivers toe the line in terms of their speeds on the roads.
“We require all PSV operators to have speed monitoring devices installed in their buses, so that our control room will monitor and report to them if their drivers are speeding.”
Police had reprimanded over 10 bus drivers for speeding, with the number of these errant drivers declining as they now know that they are being monitored.
Comm Tembo thanked the Zengeza Crime Liaison Committee headed at district level by Mr Shakespeare Njambi and at ZRP Zengeza by Mr Menyani Mwanza, who built the police base for the past two years with the help of their members, local authority and business community.
“In line with the ZRP 2023 theme, ‘ZRP Harnessing all resources and effort to sustain peace and enhance national socio- economic development for the attainment of Vision 2030’, I want to challenge all our police officers to reciprocate this favour by serving the community with love and commitment.
“Never will we tolerate corruption, ineptitude and indiscipline amongst you. We equally look forward to maximum compliance to the law from local businesses and all our publics.
“We expect strict adherence to stipulated closing times from all our liquor outlets and it needs no emphasis that public drinking is an offence,” he said.
Harare Province Crime Liaison Committee chairperson Dr Nathaniel Madzivanyika said that there was need for more police bases in and around the city to curb criminal activities since the population was growing fast.
“There is a need to bring police closer to the people. We are looking forward to as many programs such as these ones for a peaceful environment in Harare,” he said.
Dr Madzivanyika also applauded the police for ensuring that the recent elections were held in a peaceful environment.
Online Reporter