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Roadblocks are mounted by police to enhance the security of the country, maintain law and order, protect and secure the lives and property of the people of Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Republic Police, being the body constitutionally mandated to carry out this important task, has done so impeccably well over the years.

One of the strategies it uses to fulfill this obligation is the mounting of roadblocks. However, of late there have been heightened concerns about the high number of roadblocks on the country’s highways and within cities and towns. The motoring public has been up in arms with the police for having too many roadblocks some of which are mounted within a short distance of each other. This has raised concerns that the police are using the roadblocks as a fundraising venture to extract cash from motorists.

While it is true that the ZRP uses roadblocks for various reasons related to its mandate, traffic-related offences top the list of priorities for details manning a roadblock. This has given rise to bribery with motorists preferring to part with money to be waved through a roadblock rather than paying a fine. The ZRP Anti-Corruption Unit has been working hard to clamp down on this vice and while successes have been scored here and there, the scourge continues unabated.

Corruption is a two-way process and both the corruptor and recipient of a bribe are equally guilty but the onus is on the law enforcement agents to declare zero tolerance for graft by dealing ruthlessly with perpetrators of the crime. At least 320 traffic police officers were sacked for corruption last year after being found guilty — among other breaches of the ZRP Charter — of receiving bribes from motorists who had fallen foul of road regulations.

Some of them are said to have mounted unapproved roadblocks to demand bribes from errant motorists. Crack teams were also assembled last year to fight graft in the force. The government also ordered a new computerised system to monitor all happenings at police roadblocks which was expected to function in pretty much the same way tollgates on Zimbabwe’s highways are centrally monitored.

Video cameras were to be installed at strategic points to feed images to a central server where authorities can view footage. Last month, the Minister of Home Affairs Cde Ignatius Chombo told the Senate that traffic cops will soon stop collecting spot fines in cash at roadblocks with plans underway to instal an electronic payment system. We urge authorities to expedite the installation of the new computerised system as it will go a long way in reducing corruption at roadblocks.

We also call on the ZRP to intensify its anti-corruption blitz and commend it for reducing the number of roadblocks on the country’s roads. We reported at the weekend that the police said they would soon reduce the number of roadblocks following complaints from the motoring public over increased police presence on the roads.

In a statement, national police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba urged Zimbabweans to alert the ZRP whenever they feel there are too many roadblocks in their area. “The Zimbabwe Republic Police has taken note of the roadblock concerns. Measures are now in place to trim these roadblocks. We appeal to the public to advise the police if they feel that a certain road or point has too many roadblocks,’ she said.

“Be that as it may, it is unfortunate that people always associate police roadblocks with traffic issues, yet there are other issues such as the security of the country, maintenance of law and order, which are considered when roadblocks are mounted,” she said.

Snr Asst Comm Charamba urged the public to feel free to approach their local police station whenever they think they needed a roadblock at a particular spot at night. She said anyone forced to pay a spot fine for a non- existent law should immediately lodge a complaint in writing at any nearest police station or call the Police General Headquarters Complaints Desk on (04)703 631.

We commend the ZRP for being responsive to the concerns of the public and working to ensure that the image of the police force is not blemished by a few bad apples out to profit by extorting money from motorists. Members of the public should complement efforts to fight corruption by utilising the ZRP Complaints Desk and reporting any acts of misconduct by police officers.

The fight against graft is part of measures announced in President Mugabe’s 10-point plan which seeks to increase foreign direct investment into the country. Illegal roadblocks and crooked cops taint the image of the country by deterring tourists and other visitors from coming into Zimbabwe.