Comment: Arrest of cops, tip of an iceberg
NEWSDAY COMMENT - Sep 02 2011 15:33
6 comments | Post your comment
Police have announced 21 traffic cops were arrested since the
beginning of the year, largely for taking bribes.
Given how commonplace bribe-taking by traffic police has become in
Zimbabwe, 21 sounds a ridiculously conservative figure.
At the rate at which corruption takes place on Zimbabwean roads, it is
inconceivable a serious clampdown on the vice could net less that
several score per week.
It is common knowledge, and there is evidence in the form of an
official report released not so long back by the Anti-Corruption Trust
of Southern Africa (ACT – Southern Africa), that Zimbabwean traffic
police officers are the most corrupt in Sadc.
So while yesterday’s reports that 21 cops had been caught, convicted
and some discharged or suspended for taking bribes, the development
may have, instead of complimenting the police force, raised more
eyebrows, particularly on the numbers of those arrested.
The report by ACT, a product of extensive research, found our traffic
police corrupt to the extent the trust feared Zimbabwe could be losing
substantial amounts of revenue to its rotten police force on the
roads.
According to the trust, the damning report was sent to our Home
Affairs ministry but, needless to say, no response was provided, in
fact, the ministry did not have even the courtesy to acknowledge
receipt!
The silence by our government on the report and the continuing – if
not increasing – graft on our roads, have been viewed by analysts as
tacit admission of guilt in complicity with the police force, and was
an indictment of its corrupt tendencies.
The report revealed that transport business operators in Zimbabwe and
Namibia were losing substantial income due to bribes paid by their
drivers to corrupt traffic police officers.
CONTINUES BELOW
The research noted that transactions between corrupt traffic police
officers and drivers took place openly and without any shame.
The nature of the conversations between them showed that they knew
each other and had been paying and receiving bribes for a long time.
Every day on our roads, commuters witness many incidents where traffic
cops demand bribes in broad daylight, without any sign of fear or
compunction.
In most cases the men and women in uniform pretend to play “human,
merciful and understanding”, asking drivers to choose between paying a
prescribed traffic fine (usually exaggerated and sometimes with
threats the offence has no fine option and attracts jail) or paying a
lesser amount for the officer’s drink!
For kombi drivers, the practice has become an acceptable part of their
operational costs. So, upon being stopped at a roadblock, the
conductor jumps off, a known amount of “fine” in hand and passes it on
to the officers without getting any receipt.
The roadblocks are sometimes five kilometres apart and known to both
commuters and bus crews as “tollgates”.
With corruption of such magnitude, it would be laughable to expect the
public to accept our “professional” police have done a sterling job by
arresting 21 traffic cops nationwide, over the past eight months for
corruption.
But, it is a good beginning, if the clampdown is going to be pursued in earnest.
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Comments
Thank you very much for publishing this issue , I pray that this good
newspaper will pursue this issue further on it's headlines. Traffic
cops are on the roads solely to take bribes from motorist. Infact it's
stealing from the public. Whenever you get fined the money goes
directly into the pockets of the ZRP. All wat goes into the government
coffers is approximately 5% of the daily lootings. This is a shame to
our country and this shld stop. The police chefs shld set up a team in
every province that goes around apprehending these cruel
unprofessional officers. If this is done just for one month this wil
come to an end. Taurai Nyamhanga on September 3, 2011, 4:29 am
It looks like the traffic section is the busiest and richest.They own
the roads and the vehicles. Pay no tax ! stephen muchenje on September
3, 2011, 4:25 am
I am the 21 are just sacrifical lamb. If the powers that be, could
turn on the heat, it will only be 21 officers who will not be guilt of
corruption. Maybe less than 21, Of those who would found not guilt, it
would not include Chihuri, and Mandipaka and the rest of the machef.
At least your paper has the guts to write about the professional ZRP
tambatione Mwamama on September 3, 2011, 12:06 pm
I agree that our tarffic police force is one of the most corrupt in
SADC. iT HAS BECOME A LAUGHING STOCK. To my surprise both ministers
are silent on it. To Makone I say its easy to criticise now weed of
this cancerous bad habit and to Chihuri, please this corruption is not
political so go on and weed out the culprits, dei zvanga zviri zveZanu
taiti makanzi musabata as usual, but your own corrupt traffic police
aaa vakomana itai basa. Godfrey Gundani on September 3, 2011, 9:29 pm
Zimbabwe needs to recruit and train new police officers urgently.The
whole ZRP is incorrigibly corrupt.The force has totally lost
respect,authority,dignity and all in the sight of everyone (shool
children,vanambuya,mahwindi etc).They all deserve to be flashed down
the drain. judas sinclair on September 3, 2011, 2:46 pm
the greatest challenge we have is that there are some malcontents
within the ZRP. Those elements are working tirelessly to discredit the
reputation of the police. So as a law abiding citizen l would suggest
that those corrupt officers should out rightly flushed out of the
force. THERE IS NO NEED TO KEEP MATSOTSI MUCHIPURISA!!!!!!! everisto
benhura on September 3, 2011, 8:22 am
President Mugabe poses for a photograph with Anti-Corruption Commission chairperson Mr Denford Chirindo (right), his deputy Mrs Teresa Mugadza (left) and Commissioner Goodwill Shana at State House in Harare yesterday