EDITORIAL COMMENT: Investigate source of weapons used by machete gangs

Machete gangs are causing havoc in both rural and urban areas where they are robbing people and, in some cases, killing their victims. The gangs were at first confined to mining areas where they fought battles with rival gangs over mining claims or ore but the gangs have now moved to urban areas where they are committing murder, robberies and rape. 

The upsurge in criminal cases involving machete gangs across the country has prompted Parliament to institute a probe to unearth the origins of these gangs that are now all over the country. 

Parliament said it wants to find out how they operate, the impact of their actions and what can be done to stop them. The activities of these gangs, Parliament noted, are having devastating effect on the lucrative mining sector. 

The machete-wielding gangs’ criminal activities have wreaked havoc at gold mining sites across the country, causing deaths and injuries of many people. The Parliament investigations which start next week, will be carried out by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Mining Development. 

The criminal activities of the machete gangs are fast getting out of hand and what is worrying is that the gangs are so daring to the extent of attacking armed police officers. The gangs killed a police officer, Constable Wonder Hokoyo, in Battlefields near Kadoma before New Year, a gold buyer Marko Dube who was killed a few days ago and several others across the country. 

On Tuesday 49 men armed with machetes raided Zenda Police Base in Gokwe North in an attempt to forcibly take away one of their members who had been arrested. 

Police shot and injured two of the ring leaders before rounding up the other 47 who are now in police custody. On the same day five masked men armed with machetes raided worshippers at Zaoga Church in Mkoba Village 16 in Gweru and robbed the worshippers of cellphones, cash and other valuables before disappearing into the dark. 

What is disturbing is that Zimbabweans no longer respect the sanctity of life hence the increased cases of murders during robberies. There is a need to investigate the source of machetes and guns that are being used in the robberies. 

Police have been working hard to arrest armed robbers but more needs to be done because people in both urban and rural areas are now living in fear because of the mushrooming of these armed gangs. 

It is our fervent hope that the Parliament probe will assist in getting to the bottom of this negative development which is a first in the history of this country. 

Zimbabweans have been known as peace-loving people and this culture of violence and propensity to commit crime is a worrying development which must be nipped in the bud. There is a need to rid society of these undesirable elements that are terrorising innocent people.

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