A recent spate of armed robberies by soldiers and security officers is an indication that all Zimbabweans are feeling the impact of the country’s shrinking economy.
Two soldiers in Masvingo recently went on a robbery spree while in uniform, brandishing AK-47 rifles they had stolen from their battalion’s armoury. They reportedly targeted official fuel dealers, snatching supplies for resale on the black market, where fuel shortages have guaranteed soaring prices.
Last week a magistrates’ court in Bulawayo convicted two soldiers of house breaking and theft. In another reported case, three members of the Central Intelligence Organisation allegedly used their government-issue pistols to rob fuel dealers.
Assistant Police Commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena acknowledged that the police had fired 24 officers this year, mainly for corruption.
According to the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe, an average urban family now needs about Z$11million (R1 226) a month to make ends meet. The salary of junior army and police officers is just over Z$2million (R221).
“Members of the security agencies are part of society and they are affected by economic decline,” said University of Zimbabwe lecturer Eldred Masunungure. He warned that the phenomenon of lawless security personnel was a threat to stability. “The security arms are operating under stress and that poses a great threat to the general populace.”
Sociologist Professor Gordon Chavunduka said lawlessness in the armed forces mirrored what was happening in the rest of the country. “The civil service is now rotten to the core.”