Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe has commended the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) following the arrest of 1 800 members of machete gangs (MaShurugwi) in the past month.
Kazembe addressed senior police officers at Gweru Main Camp after a tour of police stations in the city in the company of his deputy Mike Madiro. He said:
The police should be commended for a job well done because in the past month or so, more than 1 800 members of machete-wielding gangs masquerading as gold panners have been arrested across the country.
The police are winning the war against these criminals. Only recently, 77 members of these gangs were convicted and sent to jail and a number have pending matters before the courts.
This shows that the police have acted and that is why we have people being arrested every day.
Kazembe however, expressed consternation over reports of police corruption in the Midlands Province.
Police officers in the Midlands are reportedly turning a blind eye on criminals, with officers deployed from other stations having to do their job.