adminMathew Masinge
POLICE have moved in to restore sanity on Harare’s roads with a major operation.
The blitz targets unruly elements who have reduced the city status and turned its roads into a jungle.
On Monday, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) launched a joint operation targeting unlicensed, uninsured and unregistered motor vehicles plying the capital’s major roads.
Police believe the cars are being used to commit serious crimes such as armed robbery and hit-and-run accidents.
A letter from the Officer Commanding Police, Harare South District, Chief Superintendent, M. Majojo, shows the joint operation will leave no stone unturned.
“It is difficult for law enforcement agencies to identify owners of unregistered vehicles after committing such crimes as they are not on the Central Vehicle Registry database.
“Most vehicles plying the country’s roads are either not registered or the vehicle owners deliberately remove number plates to avoid identification.
“The unregistered vehicles are being used to commit serious crimes and drivers of such motor vehicles cause chaos on the roads,” reads the police memo.
A total of 128 police officers have been deployed to deal with the same vehicles which are now posing a security threat.
“These unruly elements have reduced Harare from a Sunshine City status to a dirty and chaotic capital.
“It is against this background that the district shall embark on an operation to clean up and restore sanity in Greater Harare, through arresting of touts, mushika-shika operators, street car washers and car repairers operating at undesignated places.
The move will also see public service vehicles being impounded.
“Police will be impounding motor vehicles suspected to have been stolen, smuggled or used in committing crimes.
“This also extends to mushika-shika vehicles and unroadworthy vehicles.”
The impounded vehicles will be taken to yards “where they would be subjected to a clearance process involving stakeholders such as Vehicle Theft Squad (VTS), Central Vehicle Registry (CVR), ZINARA Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA), Harare City Council Traffic Police and Vehicle Inspection Department (VID),” reads the memo.
A number of campaigns, to raise awareness to all road users, etiquette driving and to discourage the public from boarding these unregistered vehicles, have been lined up.
Online Reporter