Police arrest 26 398 for lockdown violations and 0 for corruption- citizens

“They are corrupt, those they arrested are the ones who stood their ground against giving them bribes.”

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has announced that a total of 26 398 have been arrested for violating lockdown regulations.According to police, the greatest proportion of those apprehended were due to unnecessary movements.”A total of 26 398 people have so far been arrested for violating the national lockdown regulations mainly for unnecessary movements.  “We urge the public to stay at home, save for those who have been exempted to provide essential services i.e medical, mining and retail sectors,” said the police yesterday.

Meanwhile, though the police could be beating themselves on the chest for a job well done, citizens are questioning their competence in tackling corruption. They are accusing them for not using the same zeal when dealing with graft. Muchineripi Dada, says it is worrying that the country’s police excel in such crimes like arresting thousands for violating lockdown regulations, but looking the other side when serious offences like corruption are being committed. “I am not saying people should violate lockdown regulations. No. But my point is that there are a lot of known corrupt people roaming the streets, despite the fact that they are destroying the country in the same manner coronavirus is doing,” says Dada.

He adds that he would love to see police exerting the same zeal and effort in dealing with corruption as they are doing against those who are violating lockdown laws.

Another citizen, Karen Chamboko, concurs adds that she is made to conclude that the police is deliberately looking the other side when dealing with corruption. “The country’s police is a force to reckoned with, so to say that they could be dull to the extent of failing to deal with corruption could be a mockery. “It is plainly deliberate, them not arresting corrupt individuals because their hands are also dirty,” she adds.

She adds that the country’s defence, police included has been Africa’s post-Cold War peacekeeping powerhouses in the 1990s, a sign that shows that the force is capable of doing well.  “The good performance of the Zimbabwean detachment in peacekeeping missions earned the country a credible reputation that led to further UN requests for its personnel. “So it is my conviction that they can perform and therefore their failure to tame corrupt individuals is deliberate because they are also corrupt,” she adds. Lizzie Mhlanga says; “They are corrupt, those they arrested were the ones who declined to give them bribes.”

Meanwhile it is also being feared that the country may fail to account for the funds donated to fight the coronavirus pandemic. Apparently, the International Monetary Fund has put in place measures to safeguard the donations.

Among some of the measures, member states should ensure enhanced reporting on crisis related spending and publish ex- posts audits. Member states also required to publish procurement contracts and the beneficial ownership information of firms given procurement contracts. Zimbabwe is one of the most corrupt nations on Transparency International’s corruption list. Zimbabwe loses more than US$1 billion per year to corruption.  That’s huge compared to the size of Zimbabwe’s entire economy – around US$26 billion.  If the country’s laws were evenly applied and enforced, government coffers would be full and the economy would be thriving.