THE crime rate in Zimbabwe rose by 11% from January to August 2024 up from the comparative period last year, with traffic accidents increasing by 6%, resulting in a devastating 1 352 lives lost, a Cabinet minister has said.
Addressing senior officers at the 2024 senior officers’ conference in Harare yesterday, Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage minister Kazembe Kazembe said the government had received numerous calls where concern has been raised over the state of policing in Zimbabwe.
He said the rise in general crime, particularly the fear of crime in various parts of Zimbabwe, kept citizens apprehensive.
“I, therefore, urge you to take advantage of platforms such as these to formulate concrete policing interventions.
“The monthly reports received from the Zimbabwe Republic Police indicated that during the periods January to August 2023 and January to August 2024, crime rose by 11%, while traffic accidents increased by 6%, with a total of 1 352 people losing their lives,” Kazembe said.
He said the government could not afford to continue losing lives due to avoidable road carnage nor can it permit the country to devolve into a crime haven.
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“For August 2024 alone, a total of 503 hit and run accidents were recorded and only 133 were detected. These statistics offer a very strong argument for a robust traffic management system to help in the policing of the traffic jungle and account for these callous offenders,” Kazembe said.
“It is pleasing to note that the police are conscious of the need to harness technology and deploy it in the management of traffic and other crimes in general.
“I overheard that you are working on a Digital Transformation Strategy to enhance the adoption of contemporary technologies.
“On our part as government the road rehabilitation programme is moving with speed and the capacitation of police with requisite traffic management tools remains a key priority.”
Kazembe called on the police to deal with pirate taxi operators ahead of the festive season.
“Reckless driving by mushika-shika (pirate taxi) operators should also continue to be dealt with and perpetrators brought to book,” he said.
“I am happy to report that your urgent request to have the National Traffic Fines schedule reviewed is receiving urgent attention. I am confident that this will bring an abrupt halt to the wanton disregard of the law by motorists.”
The Home Affairs minister also noted that cases of stock theft continue to rise and have since become a serious cause for national concern.
“Recent cases that occurred in Matabeleland North and Banket are a stark indication of how stock theft criminals have become brazen and are executing their criminal acts with reckless wantonness,” he said.
“When such cases do occur, they have an effect of instilling heightened fear of crime in our citizens. This derails government efforts aimed at rebuilding the national herd as well as harnessing livestock industry associated dividends.
“In the same manner, the recent spate of high-profile armed robbery cases targeting businesses and residential premises also add to the fear of crime challenge.”
Kazembe said the government would not tolarate any fraudulent activities in Zimbabwe.
“Whoever is involved in fraudulent activities, regardless of whether you are a Zimbabwean, foreigner, whatever, crime is crime. Those people have been arrested.
“They are in custody they have been accounted for and those who have assisted them have also been arrested, we are leaving no stone unturned.”
Meanwhile, Police Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga said the nation’s interests come first in all their efforts to curb crime.
“We remain resolute in our commitment to serve and thus boldly reaffirm our pledge of allegiance to Zimbabwe and her aspirations,” he said.
“It is, indeed, indelibly ingrained in our hearts that the country takes precedence over everything else. Honourable minister, we remain indebted to the government and the people of Zimbabwe for their unwavering support in our collective pursuit of exterminating the malady of crime.
“In sync with this rich culture our conference is aimed at making objective deliberations on the operational demands currently facing us.”