Harare (New Ziana)-Zimbabwean law enforcement agencies will step up operations to deal with the growing menace of armed robberies, which has become a national security issue, a Cabinet Minister has said.
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, who is also leader of government business in the National Assembly, said this on Wednesday while responding to questions from legislators in the National Assembly.
Last week, armed robbers made off with a staggering US$4.4 million in broad daylight from an Ecobank branch in Bulawayo, followed by a string of other armed robberies countrywide, prompting police to intensify investigations.
“As law enforcement agencies, we are going to up our game to ensure that we now deal with this menace, which we believe is actually a national security issue, to ensure that we nip it in the bud and deal with it. The finer details will remain with the security agencies because they cannot disclose the methods that they want to use to ensure that we are all able to drive on our highways peacefully.
“We are all able to sleep at home peacefully without fearing anyone breaking into our homes or breaking into our cars,” he said.
On Wednesday, police said they had enlisted the assistance of the International Criminal Police Organization to apprehend the US4.4 million Ecobank heist robbers.
Ziyambi said authorities are also concerned with the rise in cases of carjacking and general lawlessness in the country.
“It is very worrisome when incidences of lawlessness especially of this nature where carjacking happens in the country. The law enforcement agency is seized with this and in fact we believe that something must be done urgently to ensure that even on our roads, the carnage that is happening. All law-abiding citizens must condemn behaviour which points to lawlessness and help the law enforcement agency to ensure that they can control that,” he said.
New Ziana
