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Collen Murahwa
RUSAPE District has recorded an increase in rape cases of minors, cattle rustling and murder cases. Speaking at the Zimbabwe Republic Police Rusape Rural Client Service Charter Re-Launch last week, the Officer Commanding Rusape District, Chief Superintendent Garikai Gwangwava, said the increase in crime was worrying.

“The main thrust of this engagement is to remind each other that we have an important duty to play together to ensure that crime is eradicated. It is in line with the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim-Asset) that if a country is peaceful, businesspeople will come and invest. If there are no thieves, then people in rural areas will thrive in their various agricultural activities, thereby creating employment,” said Chief Supt Gwangwava. He urged villagers to help police identify habitual criminals in their areas for easy identification in case of criminal activities within the communities.

“We expect you to give us some tip-offs of criminals you would have seen committing crimes so that they are arrested. We have put in place suggestion boxes and a WhatsApp platform for easier dispensing of information. If you remain quite when you see a rapist or cattle rustler committing an offence, then you will continue suffering because there is no way police will guess that there is a criminal on the prowl in your area,” added Chief Supt Gwangwava. He urged villagers to organise themselves and form neighbourhood watch committees, which would help police in combating crime.

“We need to combat crimes like rape in this community, hence the neighbourhood watch committee is important because most of the time they are the ones who are on the ground,” he said. Chief Supt Gwangwava warned parents against leaving their juvenile daughters in custody of male relatives as most rape cases are being perpetrated by relatives and neighbours.

“What is worrying in this area is that most girls who are being raped are minors aged between three and six years. Since we have a culture of not discussing sexually related issues with our children, the cases end up unreported because the children will not open to us because of our attitude towards them,” he said.

“Even older women cannot open up to their husbands because they are scared of their reaction. Let us not leave our children in the custody of neighbours or relatives with questionable morals.

“Sometimes our children go home late because of extra-curricular activities, so as parents we should organise ourselves and take turns to accompany them so that they are protected,” said Chief Supt Gwangwava. He urged villagers to desist from violence as the country enters into a national plebiscite next year.

“It does not solve anything for people to fight when they differ in opinion with regards to political affiliation,” he said. Chief Supt Gwangwava urged cattle owners to brand their cattle for easy identification in case of theft or when they get lost.