Chronicle Editor
Zimbabwe’s worsening culture of violence as evidenced by an upsurge in murder cases is a cause for concern.
Society no longer respects the sanctity of life hence the increased murder cases reported daily across the country.
What is worrying, as rightly observed by the police, is that most of the murders are over petty disputes.
National police spokesperson, Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said recently that police were concerned about the upsurge in the use of lethal weapons to commit murder across the country.
She said an analysis of the murder cases revealed that most are occurring at business centres where people engage in petty disputes which result in people using lethal weapons to kill their rivals.
Last Friday a Silobela man allegedly struck and killed his sleeping wife with an axe and later committed suicide after discovering that she was taking contraceptive pills without his knowledge.
Last Sunday a 19-year-old man fatally stabbed his brother in Entumbane suburb, Bulawayo, following a misunderstanding over the radio the accused was repairing.
People are killing each other over petty issues and what is worrying is that the situation is getting worse by each passing day.
The police warnings for people not to resort to violence to resolve disputes seem to be falling on deaf ears.
Hardly a day passes without reading a story of a person murdered in a fight and in most cases the fights are over petty issues.
Many murder cases have been reported recently and this is a real cause for concern.
Many of these murder cases could have been avoided had individuals involved in the disputes sought assistance from third parties.
In the past individuals that engaged in violence were punished severely or even banished from communities.
Killing a person was taboo and those who dared kill made the whole clan pay for their sins.
The clan was made to pay several beasts and in some cases were forced to provide a woman to be married by the deceased’s relative.
The punishment, we want to believe, was deterrent hence there were few murder cases in the past.
The situation has dramatically changed now as many people are being killed over trivial issues.
The challenge to community leaders such as village heads, chiefs, church leaders and political leaders is to restore moral values whereby individuals dread engaging in violence for fear of reprisals from society.
Those that choose to engage in violence should be declared outcasts and our courts should assist by incarcerating them for long periods.
The gospel of co-existence should be preached by each and every Zimbabwean and the message should be loud and clear that Zimbabwe does not tolerate violence.
Zimbabweans should shun all forms of violence and respect the sanctity of life as was the case in the past.
Online Reporter