President talks tough on reckless drivers

sterner measures were taken against reckless drivers.
“Our traffic fines are perhaps very low while the relevant legislation on motor accidents is too lenient. Time may have come for the Government to take sterner measures against reckless driving.”
He urged stakeholders, including Government ministries and departments, to come up with long-term strategies to effectively tame the traffic jungle.
The President said this at a passout parade for 500 police recruits at Morris Depot in Harare.
The Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces hailed the graduation of 378 men and 105 women, saying it added impetus to ZRP’s onerous task of maintaining law and order.
The graduation was attended by a strong and appreciative crowd that included senior Government officials, service chiefs, diplomats and members of the public.
The graduates completed a six-month competence-based Recruit Training Programme with at least 13 comprehensive subjects.
Subjects covered included criminal and statute laws, police powers and human rights, weapon handling, public order management, radio ICT, counter-insurgency, basic accounting, community policing and the history of Zimbabwe among others.
The recruits entertained the crowd with their foot and arms drills.
The crowd could not contain its joy as some parents took to their feet, joining the graduates who were dancing to songs from the ZRP band.
The police recruits also showed the fruits of their training by going through intricate paces during the drills.
Not to be outdone was the ever popular cycle unit.
President Mugabe, who was the reviewing officer, hailed the ZRP training programme.
“The rapid changes on the policing terrain, which are precipitated by advances in technology, globalisation and trans-national organised crime, have compounded criminal activity not only locally but also internationally.
“For this reason, our police officers need to be adequately equipped with requisite competencies and skills to enable them to be highly adaptive and proactive in discharging their constitutional mandate of maintaining law and order.”
He said the passout parade came at a time when Zim-babwe was working towards the final stages of a people-dri-ven national constitution that would be presented to the nation through a referendum.
The new constitution, he said, should lead to the holding of general elections.
President Mugabe said the credibility of the national constitution and other landmark democratic processes lay in the existence of peace and tranquility in Zimbabwe.
“In this regard, the ability of our police force to nurture harmony and orderliness cannot be over-emphasised,” he said.
The President said the undoubted police professionalism in the past three decades had been Zimbabwe’s jewel resonating beyond its borders.
The police have undertaken several United Nations peace-keeping missions for the past 31 years.
He urged Zimbabweans to fully complement the police force’s commitment and the country’s collective desire for peace by shunning all forms of violence.
“Let us continue to prove the world and indeed, our relentless detractors, that our desire for peace and progressive development is greater than our differences in political opinions,” he said.
President Mugabe acknowledged the numerous challenges of resource constraints that impeded the police in their efforts to effectively discharge their duties.
“As a nation we are sad to note that these shortcomings are largely a result of continuous renewal of the heinous illegal sanctions on our beloved country.”
He, however, expressed confidence that the people’s voice in the Anti-Sanctions Campaign would echo Zimbabwe’s collective rejection of the retrogressive neo-colonialist machinations.
President Mugabe said security agencies in Zimbabwe should remain vigilant in safe-guarding Zimbabwe’s right to self-determination.
“As the nation prepares for another watershed plebiscite, our security forces must remain conscious of the mischievous imperialist machinations calculated to weaken and vilify our principled stand to defend our sovereignty,” he said.
He commended the ZRP for devising effective crime busting strategies and creating a safe economic environment and strengthening economic development.
“I therefore, urge the police to continue fighting crime in the key sectors of our community, particularly in agriculture, mining, tourism, manufacturing and retailing,” he said.
President Mugabe said Government was aware of the imperative need to continuously improve civil servants’ welfare and working conditions.
“As Government, we are fully committed to reviewing the salaries as well as offering other non-monetary incentives to civil servants. I am aware that some work is being done in this regard,” he said.
President Mugabe implored the graduates to exhibit the highest degree of discipline, loyalty, patriotism and dedication to duty.
He said Zimbabweans invested immeasurable trust in the police to uphold the tenets of impartiality, transparency and accountability.
He also hailed the police’s idea of connecting officers with Zimbabwe’s history through trips to liberation war shrines in neighbouring countries.
President Mugabe also urged the police officers to shun irresponsible behaviour that may negatively impact their aspirations.
The pass-out was attended by Home Affairs co-Ministers Kembo Mohadi and Theresa Makone, Justice and Legal Affairs Minister Patrick Chinamasa, Attorney-General Mr Johannes Tomana, Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku, ZDF Commander General Constantine Chiwenga and several Government officials.