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Mr Dzinotizei

Crime Reporter
The Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) yesterday admitted its statistics showing an increase by over 100 000 in road traffic accidents between 2015 and 2016 were wrong.

ZimStat posted the wrong figures on its website, angering the Zimbabwe Republic Police, which is the major custodian of road accident statistics.

ZimStat had attributed the statistics to the Police General Headquarters. Addressing a Press conference yesterday, ZimStat director-general Mr Mutasa Dzinotizei said they were going to take measures internally to deal with the issue.

“The Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency wishes to unreservedly apologise to the whole nation for any inconveniences and anxiety that may have been occasioned by the publication of incorrect information from our website,” he said.

“We are going to take corrective measures internally to deal with this issue. The above constitutes a complete retraction of the stories that appeared in the media as a result of ZimStat mistake.

“In future, due diligence will be exercised before figures are published and placed on our website. I sincerely apologise to the Government of Zimbabwe and to the Zimbabwe Republic Police in particular.”

Mr Dzinotizei said the ZimStat received road accident statistics from Police General Headquarters in February this year. He said the correct figures that should have reflected for 2016 were that during the first quarter as at March was 11 392 accidents, second quarter as at June 11 847, 11 304 for third quarter as at September and 12 138 for fourth quarter as at December.

“This gives the correct total figure of 46 681 road accidents that occurred in 2016 and not 159 490 accidents as quoted in the media,” he said.

“The statistics on deaths and injuries were also erroneously given in the media as 9 301 and 44 917. The correct figures are 1 584 and 11 605 respectively.”

Speaking at the same press conference, police chief spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said since 1965, road traffic accidents in the country had never reached 100 000.

“The highest figure that was recorded in 1988 was a total of 58 101,” she said. On Tuesday, ZRP reacted angrily to the statistics quoted from the ZimStat website, accusing The Herald of cooking up the figures.

In a tirade-laden statement, police claimed they last gave statistics to ZimStat in 2015.