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The Zimbabwe Republic Police Commissioner General Godwin Matanga said the police should play a pivotal role in bringing sanity to the economy.

Comm Gen Matanga said Government had put in place several legal instruments to bring sanity to the economy and the police’s role was therefore to bring to book all offenders caught on the wrong side of the law.

Addressing 49 police officers who recently returned from United Nations Peacekeeping duties in Southern Sudan, Darfur and Abyei, Comm Gen Matanga said the officers were returning home at a time when Government has put in place a raft of measures aimed at turning around the economy.

“Several instruments have been put in place to bring sanity in the economy hence as police we should play our part by bringing all offenders to book,” said Comm Gen Matanga.

He said it was no longer business as usual in the Second Republic and as such the police were expected to fulfil their mandate of not only fighting crime but to also ensure law and order was maintained in the country.

He commended Government for its commitment to providing the police with the necessary tools for the job.

Recently President Emmerson Mnangagwa commissioned the first batch of 80 police vehicles bought for about $3 million.

The police now have no excuse for failing to fulfil their mandate of fighting crime and corruption because they have the necessary tools.

Government is committed to fighting corruption as demonstrated by its decision to establish a Special Anti-Corruption Unit in the Office of the President and Cabinet.

The establishment of the unit is meant to improve efficiency in the fight against all forms of graft.

The unit is also expected to strengthen the effectiveness of national mechanisms for the prevention of corruption.

The unit’s terms of reference include collaborating with the Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) and the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and other such institutions in the fight against corruption.

The unit will also assist Zacc and other investigative agencies of the State in the perusal and consideration of dockets, subject to issuance of Authority to Prosecute by the Prosecutor General and will also prosecute corruption cases referred to the National Prosecuting Authority by the investigative agencies.

Government has said the unit is not meant to supersede or undermine Zacc but is instead meant to reinforce and complement the commission’s operations.

The unit, Government said, will ensure a well coordinated and comprehensive approach where all the investigating arms and prosecution elements operate in a coordinated fashion.