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women and children were raped.

The officer commanding Harare province Senior Assistant Commissioner Clemence Munoriarwa said 156 armed robberies and 3 083 cases of theft from cars were also recorded. “All these cases were on the increase last year and we would like to urge the public to join hands with the police in the fight against such cases.

“Criminals live in communities and the public know some of them and they should assist us in bringing them to book. As the police, we are geared to reduce criminal activities in the province,” he said. Snr Asst Comm Munoriarwa was speaking at a crime awareness campaign
held in Kuwadzana 4 on Sunday.

The province has embarked on such campaigns educating people to be wary of criminals and to assist the force with vital information on cases. Snr Asst Comm Munoriarwa urged the public to desist from any forms of violence as the country prepares for the harmonised elections.
He said the force still mantained their zero tolerance to any form of political violence.

“We would also want to urge leaders of political parties to notify the police of any meetings or gatherings they would want to conduct so that adeqaute human power would be deployed,” Snr Asst Comm Munoriarwa said.

He said so far there were no cases of politically motivated violence that had been recorded. Snr Asst Comm Munoriarwa said they would not hesitate to arrest anyone found on the wrong side of the law.

“Our position still stands. No political violence will be tolerated and we won’t hesitate to arrest anyone found engaging in such activities,” he said. President Mugabe recently said police should deal decisively with anyone involved in political violence regardless of political affiliation.

Addressing tens of thousands of people gathered at the National Sports Stadium for the 33rd Independence Day anniversary celebrations, the President urged rival political party supporters to co-exist. He said he received weekly briefings of the socio-political environment from police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri every Monday and had instructed the police to decisively deal with perpetrators of violence.

The Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, also called on the political leadership at all levels to preach and live peace. Comm-Gen Chihuri also said police would descend on malcontents bent on fanning violence during the forthcoming harmonised elections.

Speaking during the conferment of ranks to newly promoted senior officers in Harare recently, Comm-Gen Chihuri said violence would not be tolerated during the harmonised elections. Comm-General Chihuri said individuals and organisations perpetrating violence would face the full wrath of the law.