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Stephen Mpofu
A no-holds-barred crackdown on armed robberies and sexual violence appears not only imperative but also urgent in our country before these crimes assume a cultural norm detrimental to peace and stability as well as to foreign investment and tourism.

“One no longer feels safe in this country because of the escalating violent activities,” commented Ms Nobukhosi Sibanda of Bulawayo’s Emakhandeni suburb earlier this week.

She added: “It has even become difficult to trust one’s lover because of the violent events that the police and newspapers report almost on a daily basis.”

With devastating effects on Zimbabwe’s image abroad, the situation no doubt calls for a no-nonsense zero tolerance on robberies, rape and other forms of sexual harassment now rampant in many parts of the country.

Of late the border town of Beitbridge as well as illegal crossing points along the Limpopo River boundary between South Africa and Zimbabwe have appeared to steal the limelight with spates of armed robberies.

Coordinated operations between Zimbabwean security forces and their South African counterparts appear necessary to secure the river boundary from both the border jumpers and the robbers waiting to pounce on them.

Add to those worrisome scenario regular reports of people being robbed or killed by thugs armed with guns or other dangerous weapons including knives and with one recent case in which a man speared another in the eye during a scuffle at a beer drink at Mphoengs, in Matabeleland South province.

Cases of increasing domestic violence are also being reported in many urban areas with men of the cloth also coming under the spotlight for having canal knowledge of congregants, including, sadistically enough, young girls not to mention the pilfering of church funds and one can be sure that the owner of the Church, Jesus Christ, does not smile at such dastardly deeds as they paint a bad picture of the clergy who are servants mandated to shepherd the Lord’s sheep, yet some of them behave as though they themselves, not God, own the flock.

Thus, it behoves on those who superintend the Church to clean up their house, or else God will mete out his just will and no one should doubt that reality.

As to the violent crimes threatening people’s lives and the image of the motherland, nothing short of long jail sentences or even capital punishment in extreme cases, is likely to instill the fear of God and that of the law of the land in the remorseless hearts of the offenders.

What the above DOES NOT imply is not for those who are supposed to be the eyes, ears, mouths and hands of the President to remain ensconced in their cushy, air-conditioned offices and wait for the Head of State to declare war on the criminals in point – as when President Mugabe recently ordered a clean-up of the mess on the streets of the capital, Harare as well as those of other urban centres — before springing to their own feet and reading their own riot act with threats to sack the gurus of the urban centres if they failed to comply with the orders to bring sanity to the areas over which they preside.

What it DOES CALL FOR is pro-action by those who work to the Head of State to demonstrate that they do not sleep on the job and open their eyes when they hear his angry voice, but that they are spot on at all times as dedicated servants to deliver on their portfolios.

These people have a critical role to play in making Zimbabwe and Zimbabweans attractive to foreign investors who will under no circumstances put their money where there is no guarantee of its safety and fruition or reward.

In addition, the golden egg that Zimbabwe, like any other developing or even developed country badly needs will remain a mere dream if we do not put our own house in order because the country might become a no-go tourist destination with violence a deterrent to international visitors.

But this does not mean the ordinary Zimbabwean has no role to play in helping to reduce violent activities to their barest minimum, thereby rendering the country attractive to foreign investment as well as to tourists from abroad.

In this regard, law enforcement agents might wish to publish telephone numbers to which the public will make reports about suspicious characters including rapists within their vicinity for the law to take its course.

With over a 90 percent rating as Africa’s most literate nation, Zimbabwe cannot afford to earn a dubious record as the most violent country on the continent.

To cap this discourse up, women and girls must be protected from sexual and any other forms of violence which have of late in this country reduced them to virtual Cinderellas.

It is indisputable that women are the crowns on every society around the globe and, as such, they deserve to mince-step their way in life with their heads raised high, giraffe style, all the while flaunting their beauty as is their God-endowed nature.

Those whose ears are not plugged with dirt have heard the message above and should of necessity act accordingly.