News / National
New traffic fines worsening police corruption
04 Jan 2016 at 11:15hrs | Views
Transparency International Zimbabwe has condemned the traffic fines saying they are a recipe for fuelling corruption among police officers.
The new fines come into force on January 1 next year.
"Transparency International Zimbabwe strongly disagrees with the decision made through Parliament to increase traffic fines from $10 and $20 to $100" it said in a statement today.
"In a country where between 2011 and 2014 reliable source report that poverty, including urban poverty had risen from 73,2 in 2011 to approximately 90% in 2014".
"Where upon unemployment is also at a record high of 80% such a decision reflects either that neither Parliament nor the police have done their homework. In the alternate if they have done their homework the decision reflects high level of insensitivity to the plight of the citizens.
"To introduce such unrealistic fines in an environment of poverty encourages lawlessness of both citizens and law enforcement' it added.
Transparency International Zimbabwe said to make matters worse, motorists had before complained about the ‘behaviour of the traffic police as predatory as they await motorists with the viciousness and malice of a bird of prey".
It said Parliament and ZRP should "reconsider this. Parliament in the contrary is requested to review whether the heavy handed presence of the police on the roads is leading to or had led to reduced traffic infractions and road carnage and factor in all other contributions to traffic offences and road carnage".
The new fines come into force on January 1 next year.
"Transparency International Zimbabwe strongly disagrees with the decision made through Parliament to increase traffic fines from $10 and $20 to $100" it said in a statement today.
"In a country where between 2011 and 2014 reliable source report that poverty, including urban poverty had risen from 73,2 in 2011 to approximately 90% in 2014".
"Where upon unemployment is also at a record high of 80% such a decision reflects either that neither Parliament nor the police have done their homework. In the alternate if they have done their homework the decision reflects high level of insensitivity to the plight of the citizens.
"To introduce such unrealistic fines in an environment of poverty encourages lawlessness of both citizens and law enforcement' it added.
Transparency International Zimbabwe said to make matters worse, motorists had before complained about the ‘behaviour of the traffic police as predatory as they await motorists with the viciousness and malice of a bird of prey".
It said Parliament and ZRP should "reconsider this. Parliament in the contrary is requested to review whether the heavy handed presence of the police on the roads is leading to or had led to reduced traffic infractions and road carnage and factor in all other contributions to traffic offences and road carnage".
Source - Byo24News
