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Mashudu Netsianda Senior Reporter
THE Police Commissioner-General, Augustine Chihuri, yesterday warned people against abusing Presidential farming inputs and other agricultural facilities saying police will not hesitate to arrest people who frustrate ongoing Government-sponsored drought mitigation programmes.
Speaking during a passout parade for 553 recruits at Ntabazinduna Police Training Depot, Comm-Gen Chihuri, who was the reviewing officer, said Zimbabwe’s economy hinged on agriculture hence the need to safeguard the sector to boost food production.
He said police had intensified the war against activities that militate against Government’s quest to ensure food security.
“The impending rainy season calls upon all police officers to be vigilant in safeguarding the agriculture sector. It is therefore important for us to combat all crimes which debilitate the country’s capacity to increase agricultural production since our economy is agro-based,” he said.
“We have therefore resolved to intensify our sustained efforts to curb the abuse of Government farming inputs and other stakeholders’ agricultural facilities aimed at boosting production.
“We cannot afford to fail to improve the livelihood of the general populace due to greediness, individualism and unrestrained craving for self-aggrandisement.”
His comments come in the wake of reports of some villagers in Binga who are crossing over into neighbouring Zambia to illegally sell fertiliser given to them under the Presidential Inputs Scheme.
President Mugabe’s Inputs Scheme is a nationwide programme meant to complement numerous other schemes drawn up to boost food production.
The basic input package under the programme comprises 10kg of maize/small grain seed, 50kg compound D fertiliser, 50kg ammonium nitrate fertiliser and 50kg lime to improve the quality of the soil.
The Government recently poured in $161 million for the inputs support scheme for farmers while the private sector also injected $720 million into funding agriculture for the forthcoming farming season.
Comm-Gen Chihuri also reiterated the need to intensify the fight against corruption, saying no one was immune to prosecution.
“We therefore take this opportunity to strongly warn those with an insatiable appetite for gaining wealth through corruption and or any other unlawful means, whether in the public or private sector, that the long arm of the law will soon catch up with them.
“Let me make it clear that our clean-up process shall not recognise any perceived sacred cows since everyone is equal in terms of the law. Corruption has become so pervasive in our society and its effects to our fragile economy are crippling concerted endeavours to realise sustainable development in the country. Corruption has no place in our societies, our workplaces and indeed our country,” he said.
Comm-Gen Chihuri said police had an essential role of ensuring the smooth implementation of Government policies by enhancing peace and unity among people.
“Accordingly, ZRP does not have any room for non-performing members given that as an organisation we have an important constitutional mandate of serving people by maintaining law and order,” he said.
Comm-Gen Chihuri also expressed concern over the extent in which motorists, particularly commuter omnibus drivers, were breaching traffic laws and regulations.
“Equally disturbing is the continuous flouting with impunity of traffic laws by motorists and commuter omnibus drivers in particular. Although the volume of traffic has greatly increased in comparison to the capacity of our roads, lack of patience and willful flouting of traffic laws by drivers largely contributes to traffic congestion in major towns and cities,” he said.
Comm-Gen Chihuri attributed the increase in road traffic accidents to congestion, saying they would continue to deploy police officers on the roads.
“Traffic congestion has also resulted in increased road accidents, which in some instances results in the loss of precious lives. Given this sad scenario we shall continue to deploy police officers on our roads and the central business districts to tame the traffic jungle and restore sanity,” he said.
Comm-Gen Chihuri challenged the police recruits to foster sound partnership with communities in fighting crime on deployment in line with the ZRP community policing programme.
“Let me urge police officers to continue forging sound partnerships with our communities as we intensify our fight against crime. ZRP operations are firmly anchored on community policing and the realisation of the imperative need for police officers to tirelessly identify with the aspirations and needs of the people they serve.
“The successes recorded in fighting crime by police are attributed to the support we continue to receive from members of the public,” said the police chief.
The recruits comprising 385 males and 168 females completed a six-month training programme whose courses included community policing, public order management, first aid, foot and arms drill and weapon handling.
Other courses in the curriculum were basic accounting, local language studies, computer fundamentals, law of evidence, police powers and human rights.
The event was marked by entertainment in the form of scintillating performances by the police band and displays by members of the ZRP Cycle Unit.
Among those who attended the function were the Minister of State responsible for Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, Cde Eunice Nomthandazo Moyo, two Namibian senior police officers, Chief Inspector Monaliza Molebugi (head of the recruitment sub-division in the human resources directorate) and Inspector Johanna Ndahafa Ngondo, the head of internal advertising desk (recruitment sub-division) in the human resources directorate, local traditional leaders and several senior police officers. See Picture on Page 2
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