By Lerato Ndlovu
Modalities to improve the welfare of police members are underway with government working to provide them with resources so they effectively conduct duties during pandemics like Covid-19.
The move by the government comes at the backdrop of challenges that the police force has been facing as a result of under-resourcing and poor funding.
Currently, escorting of returning residents from border points to quarantine centres has not been done effectively resulting in some returnees skipping the mandatory quarantine period.
Speaking during the inter-ministerial task force team on Covid-19 in Chinhoyi recently, Mashonaland West provincial police officer, assistant commissioner, Priscilla Makotose confirmed to the challenges saying they are a result of inadequate vehicles in the province.
Other police vehicles have been grounded due to bad roads and fuel systems that affected fuel injectors.
“We are falling short of vehicles at a time where they are necessary for us, so as to enable us to escort returning residents from borders to quarantine centres and conducting routine patrols as we enforce lockdown regulations,” she said.
“Shortage of vehicles has also affected our fight against inter-city pirate taxis and travellers currently restricted by the lockdown regulations.”
She urged government to capacitate the police force which is seized with the mandate of protecting the nation and enforcing the lockdown restrictions with the help from the army.
Meanwhile, Zvimba Senator Joseph Chirongoma also underscored the need to resource Mashonaland West police force with motorbikes which are cheaper to maintain.
“Our police force which is supposed to enforce lockdown regulations and other police-related work is suffering, hence there is a need to allocate all stations with vehicles and or motorbikes. This seeks to address the challenges that we as a province have been facing particularly escaping of quarantined returnees,” he said.
Senator Chirongoma added, “There is need to capacitate the provincial offices with at least 12 bikes while other stations and substations should also be given a reasonable number of bikes for allocation of urgent issues.”
Responding to raised concerns, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Senator Monica Mutsvangwa said the government was finalising on resourcing the police force with vehicles and motorbikes to improve mobility.
“The issue of police vehicles is being looked into and Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mthuli Ncube is addressing the issue and we hope the police force will be capacitated soon. We expect our police officers to attend to issues of security immediately, thus, capacitation of police force is key.
“The issue of resourcing police with vehicles is in the hands of an inter-ministerial committee and cabinet to address the issue,” she said.
