IN yesterday’s NewsDay edition, we carried a story of a gang calling itself “Black Vendetta”, which is reportedly terrorising Chitungwiza residents.
The notorious gang is allegedly targeting those perceived to be opposed to the ruling Zanu PF party. The mafia-styled gang is said to have been in existence for many years during which it has been involved in activities such as illegal land grabs.
In its latest nefarious exploits, it is reportedly mainly targeting opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) supporters and a recent clash between the gang and CCC has been reported to the police and we wait with bated breath to see how the law enforcement agents will deal with this obviously unlawful outfit which appears to be having free rein as it runs amok in Harare’s dormitory town.
While the ruling party has distanced itself from this marauding band of outlaws and the police have been duly notified about these misguided hoodlums, we sincerely hope it does not end there.
The Chitungwiza community obviously knows the members of this gang and it should not take the police ages to round them up because they cannot be allowed to continue causing sleepless nights to the residents.
We have always asked and keep asking: Why is it that little to no action is taken each time reports are made of individuals or groups of people causing chaos in communities in the name of the ruling party?
We have witnessed some people openly inciting violence against those opposed to the ruling party to the point of even threatening to kill them, but nothing has happened to them.
We remain, as always, curious as to why the ruling party hardly bats an eyelid when its name is dragged into the mud by malcontents such as the Black Vendetta.
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Merely denying any links with the gang does not clear its name and neither does it make the outlaws disappear.
Zanu PF should not allow nefarious characters and lawless gangs to tarnish its image. It should demand action from the police, otherwise its laissez faire attitude towards these issues ends up making us suspect that the party might be complicit.
Allowing lawlessness to fester sets a very bad precedent which has resulted in anarchy in many African nations, and Zimbabwe should not be found wanting in nipping in the bud any criminal behaviour especially now as we head for elections scheduled for next month.
