Chronicle Editor
Operation Restore Legacy ended on Monday and the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) have since handed over all normal day-to-day policing duties to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP). The ZDF launched the operation last month to weed out corrupt elements that were causing social and political instability in the country.
The ZDF Commander General Philip Valerio Sibanda who described the operation as a success, has urged members of the public to allow for a smooth transition. General Sibanda said as a result of political developments that have occurred in the past weeks, the situation has returned to normalcy. The ZRP have since assumed their role as stipulated in the Constitution which among other things mandates the police to maintain Law and Order, protect and secure lives and property.
The police, who have in the past been accused of corruption, employing heavy handed tactics and other anti-social acts, said their operations and programmes will be people centred.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police would want to assure the nation that it will strive to ensure that all operations and programmes are people centred in accordance with the vision of His Excellency the President, Cde Mnangagwa (Emmerson ),” said Snr Asst Comm Charity Charamba.
General Sibanda urged members of the public to respect, support and co-operate with the police as they execute their constitutional mandate. He said on their part, the ZRP officers were expected to fully take over their responsibilities and perform according to their constitutional mandate and Client Service Charter.
It is not in dispute that the conduct of ZRP officers has in the past received a battering from members of the public who accused them of among other ills, demanding bribes. Those largely to blame for tarnishing the force’s image are traffic police officers who motorists have accused of turning road policing into a “fund-raising” exercise.
Members of the public have complained of too many roadblocks prompting Government to intervene and limiting the number of roadblocks to at least four per province. This Government directive was in the past ignored by police who continued to mount numerous roadblocks especially on the highways.
There were unconfirmed reports that teams assigned to man roadblocks were given targets of how much they were supposed to raise which in our view is contrary to the objectives of setting up roadblocks. The police’s main objective on the roads should be to tame the traffic jungle which is largely to blame for the high carnage on our roads.
The police should help reduce speeding, remove unroadworthy vehicles from the roads, ensure that public service vehicles such as buses are not overloaded. Most of the road accidents are as a result of human error which means they can be avoided if motorists observe the traffic rules and regulations.
It is the responsibility of the police to enforce these traffic rules and regulations as opposed to be on the road to raise funds. The police, especially traffic police officers, have a very big challenge to change the public’s negative perception of their presence on the country’s highways.
What is, however, encouraging is that Senior Asst Comm Charamba has said that the police’s operations and programmes will be people centred. Police can only succeed in their policing duties if there is co-operation from members of the public. We need to emphasise that members of the public can only co-operate if they have confidence in the police force. Members of the public spoken to on Tuesday after the end of Operation Restore Legacy said they expect a disciplined and reformed police force as ZRP takes over its policing duties.
The few bad apples that have in the past turned roadblocks into fund-raising projects by demanding bribes, should be weeded out. We want the ZRP to demonstrate that its operations and programmes are indeed people centred as stated by Snr Asst Comm Charamba.
Online Reporter