BY JUSTMAN KUTYA
Villagers in Ward 18 in Chivi are bitter over the incessant surge in cases of crime in the area. A new wave of thieves is reportedly causing tremendous terror and havoc in the area. Reports of unlawful entry, theft, fraud and robbery have taken the lead in the area. The existence of illegal gold miners in the area could be another factor that has gone a long way in contributing to this criminal practice. Some of the villagers who spoke to this publication said that although the police are tirelessly working hard to get rid of this problem their life is generally at risk. One of the local members, Hamwana Hamwana, described the thieves as difficult to tame.
“We are living in fear every day. We can’t leave our homes unattended, and we worry about the safety of our families, children and belongings. These thieves are really difficult to tame,” he said.
Samuel Tawanda Jimu ZANU-PF Chairperson for Chivi ward 18, Samuel Tawanda Jimu, voiced his frustration, saying, “We need the authorities to take this issue seriously. We want to see more police patrols and proactive measures to deter criminals from targeting our neighborhood. We can’t continue to live like this.”
Chivi Ward 18 Councilor, Darios Madhigi, expressed his concern with regards to the volatility of the negative impact that the thieves are bringing to the community. He said that it was imperative for the authorities to take swift and decisive action to apprehend the perpetrators. On Friday he took action by calling on the local police to hold an all stakeholders campaign geared towards addressing this issue. The awareness campaign is expected to bring some relief to the beleaguered community. Meanwhile local authorities have promised to continue working closely with the community.