adminStatistics released by the police over the past few days make sad reading as the death toll had by Boxing Day risen to 134 compared to 72 deaths during the same period last year. Despite the decrease in the number of road accidents recorded from 799 last year to 795 this year, more lives have been lost showing a 100 percent increase in the number of deaths in the first 11 days of the festive season.
Police spokesman Superintendent Paul Nyathi said 736 people were injured in the road accidents which he attributed to speeding by drivers, inattention and misjudgment on the part of drivers. He said drivers were following too close while driving behind other motor vehicles, some were overtaking without following the procedures while others were reversing without checking.
Police launched the 30-day festive season campaign period against road carnage on 15 December and it runs until 15 January next year but to date 134 people have died with 33 having died between Boxing Day and yesterday morning. Supt Nyathi said the police had issued 10 056 tickets for various traffic offences while 762 motor vehicles had been impounded for various defects. “We are still urging the travelling public to exercise caution on the roads. As for public service motor vehicles we urge them to stick to the terms of their road permits by adhering to their specified routes and they should avoid overloading. Passengers should not hire private motor vehicles or lorries which are contributing to the carnage on our roads,” said the police spokesman.
He gave the example of the Hauna accident which claimed 18 lives and has since been declared a state of disaster, meaning the victims would get Government assistance towards their burials. We note with concern a direct correlation between road traffic accidents and corruption which seems to be on the rise in the police force. Corruption by law enforcement agents staffing roadblocks is cited as one of the primary factors contributing to the high incidence of accidents.
In particular, the Hauna truck crash that claimed 18 lives has caught public attention with many people questioning how the lorry, overloaded with 63 people, was allowed to pass several police checkpoints all the way from Harare.
Officers are accused of compromising road safety by taking kickbacks and allowing through overloaded or defective vehicles as well as drunk drivers — all recipes for disaster. Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri announced a few weeks ago that since January, some 123 police officers had been apprehended for engaging in various forms of graft. “We utterly condemn any form of corruption, and shall continue to invoke the wrath of the law to completely destroy this cancerous social scourge,” Chihuri told a recent pass-out parade in Harare. “Let me remind officers and members of the force that we have zero tolerance to corruption. All police officers should bear in mind that the general public deserve a full measure of police service from them”. We agree with the Police Commissioner and urge him and his team to continue clamping down on graft in the police force as it is contributing to loss of lives.
President Mugabe recently took a swipe at corruption in the police, saying they were giving government a bad image. “Mapurisa, mapurisa, mapurisa! We want you to be straightforward people.
You are representatives not only of Government, but of the people as a whole,” Cde Mugabe said at the Annual National Zanu-PF conference in Gweru. “If you want to be paid to do your job, then you are practicing corruption and you cannot boast of having a well-disciplined police. Kumisa vanhu mumigwagwa. Mota yako haina mabrakes haungaende mberi kana uchida, bhadhara US$200 woenda, (You always stop motorists on the road and say your car has faulty brakes, you can’t proceed. If you want to go pay us US$200)”.
So as the clock ticks slowly towards 2013, we urge members of the public to exercise restraint and enjoy responsibly. It is natural for people to get excited at this time of the year but we strongly urge them to be cautious as well. We only have a few days to go before we head into a brand new year and we hope to have everyone with us so that we tackle the challenges of 2013 together and help grow our nation and families.
Online Reporter