Bulawayo, Midlands record surge in crime

The Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) reported a notable increase in criminal activities across the country, with Bulawayo, Harare, and Midlands provinces registering the highest number of cases. According to ZimStat's acting director-general Aluwisio Mukavhi, police recorded 221,704 offences in the first quarter of 2024, marking a slight rise from the previous quarter. This translated to a national crime rate of 1,460.6 crimes per 100,000 people, a marginal increase from the previous quarter's rate of 1,459.9 per 100,000.

Crimes against public safety and state security were the most prevalent, constituting 87,834 cases, followed by acts against property with 53,975 cases, and acts causing harm or intending to cause harm to individuals, totaling 41,143 cases. Mukavhi noted that vulnerability to crime varied by province, with Harare Province notably recording a crime rate nearly double the national average at 2,877.5 per 100,000 people.

In terms of demographics, Mukavhi highlighted that 88% of those charged for all offences were male. The overall rate of persons charged increased to 1,083.5 per 100,000 people, up from 1,068.7 in the previous quarter. Specifically, the rate for males charged was significantly higher at 1,975.9 per 100,000 males, compared to 259 per 100,000 females.

These statistics underscored ongoing challenges in addressing crime across Zimbabwe, with specific regions experiencing higher crime rates and certain types of offences being more prevalent than others.