Moffat Mungazi
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
ZIMBABWE Republic Police (ZRP) officers can regain the respect they once commanded only by improving their conduct in public spaces, a Cabinet Minister has said.
Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister, Honourable Kazembe Kazembe made this statement during his keynote address during a tour of ZRP Mutare Central yesterday (Thursday).
Minister Kazembe said police officers were highly respected in the past, but lost public trust over the years due to corruption and political interference.
Minister Kazembe, who had once dreamed of becoming a police officer, emphasised that cops must remain apolitical. “While I agree that the police deserve respect, it is ultimately up to them to earn it. We must reflect on our behaviour and ask ourselves if we are conducting ourselves in the same manner as our respected predecessors.
“But at the end of the day, the honour is on you the police. I call a spade a spade. The bottom line and honest truth is that are we also behaving in the same manner like the police of yesteryear?
“Let us look at ourselves in the mirror. Are we doing things in the same way as our predecessors did, which made them respected? We have become friends with perpetrators of crime,” said Minister Kazembe.
He highlighted instances of police officers engaging in drug abuse with perpetrators and allowing certain individuals to evade justice.
“I am not saying the police are ineffective, but rather that we must reclaim our self-discipline and commitment.”
Minister Kazembe also acknowledged the challenges faced by police officers, but stressed that these cannot be used as an excuse for unprofessional conduct. “We must separate our personal and professional lives, leaving politics to the politicians.
‘‘Our duty is to uphold the law, regardless of individual circumstances. Let us do our work as police officers. Whoever has committed a crime must account for it. Personally, I get hurt when police officers get shoved or abused in public spaces, but it all starts with the way we conduct ourselves as police officers.
“You share alcohol with members of the public in areas that are not allowed to consume alcohol, and at the end of the day you expect the same people to respect you. Let us bring back that dignity of yesteryear,” he said.
The Minister also announced plans to implement the Electronic Traffic Management System by the end of the year, which will help generate revenue for essential equipment like breathalysers.
“We must have the Electronic Traffic Management System by the end of this year. That we should have without fail this year. This is also one way we can generate revenue that will be channelled towards securing other things that we need like breathalysers and so on. We are not saying we are doing it to generate revenue, but if we can raise an extra dollar out of that, who are we to refuse it? In Dubai, for example, they raise millions out of smart traffic policing,” said Minister Kazembe.
Additionally, he assured that Government is working on addressing accommodation issues for police officers.
Minister Kazembe commended ZRP for maintaining peace and order in the country, praising the organisation as the best in the region.
