The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) yesterday fumed at reports that the number of accidents had increased in the past year despite the law enforcement agents’ omnipresence on the country’s roads, as the force berated The Herald newspaper and warned of consequences.
BY BLESSED MHLANGA
In a statement yesterday, Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba claimed The Herald’s story was false and based on fake statistics, which were misleading and meant to raise despondency among Zimbabweans.
“Contrary to figures published, the correct road traffic accident statistics for 2015 is 41 494, while in 2016 we recorded 38 620,” she said in a statement.
“This indicates a reduction in road accidents.”
Charamba accused The Herald of being blind to correct information, saying they seemed keen on pursuing their own agendas.
The Herald on Monday, quoting a survey by the Zimbabwe Statistics Agency (Zimstat), reported that the number of accidents rose to 100 000 last year, while deaths increased by 75%.
But Charamba disputed the figure, challenging the researchers to bring evidence.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
“The writer of the story mischievously goes on to compare fatalities of 2 368 in 2014 and deliberately skips 2015 to deliberately compare with 9 301 fatalities in 2016,” she said.
“She further writes that road accidents rose from 45 701 in 2015 to 159 490 in 2016 regardless of the fact that Zimstat had not provided the figures, who then provided the fictitious figures, with what intention, to achieve what?”
Charamba accused journalists of corruption and insisted the police were doing their job well.
“Of late, we have observed a trend of blaming police for virtually everything and we are quite aware that there are drivers of these hidden agendas, who have been planted everywhere to cause alarm and despondency,” she said issuing a conspiracy theory and without elaborating.
“No wonder why each time the police are in the process of arresting these offenders some quarters start making a lot of noise as a way of diverting attention from their misdemeanours.”
The police spokesperson also took a pot shot at those claiming police roadblocks were responsible for a reduction in tourists, saying visitors to the country had also cited high prices, poor infrastructure and other facilities and poor quality services as reasons why they would not recommend Zimbabwe.
Charamba then warned The Herald that publishing falsehoods was a criminal offence and journalists could face up to 20 years’ imprisonment for undermining public confidence in law enforcement agents.
