Zimbabwe's rogue cops hijack cars in broad daylight

"Stop, open the door, and drive to the station!"

These chilling words have become a familiar horror for Zimbabwean motorists, often delivered with alarming ease by uniformed traffic police officers who lean into car windows like touts at a busy taxi rank. For thousands of drivers, it's not because of a major offence-perhaps just a dim tail light, an old licence disc, or in many cases, no fault at all. Yet the passenger door is swung open, and an officer climbs in with a smug "Toenda newe" - loosely translated as "You're taking me."

Across Zimbabwe's roads, frustrated citizens say they feel like victims of an unspoken extortion scheme. Rogue traffic officers are turning vehicles into unofficial police shuttles, with little to no legal justification, and often under veiled threats of vehicle impoundment, bribes, or harassment. While most officers carry out their duties with professionalism, a growing crop of errant enforcers are accused of converting the nation's roadblocks into mobile detention zones - and ordinary drivers into reluctant chauffeurs.

The practice has sparked legal outrage. Prominent lawyer and media commissioner Miriam Tose Majome has denounced it as unconstitutional and dangerous, likening the forced rides to a form of kidnapping. "Imagine someone wants to arrest you but needs to borrow your car and driving skills to do it. It's unlawful detention. It's kidnapping. Full stop," Majome said.

The law is clear: under Zimbabwe's Road Traffic Act, police may arrest an offender or impound a vehicle under defined conditions, but nothing permits officers to commandeer private vehicles or compel drivers to act as unpaid escorts. Yet in practice, motorists across Harare, Bulawayo, and other cities report daily occurrences of this behaviour.

Fear remains the greatest weapon. Drivers often comply out of panic, anxious about being dragged into complicated impound processes, losing their vehicles, or paying hefty "storage" fees. Others say they are intimidated into agreeing, worried about the consequences of saying no.

The human cost of the practice was laid bare recently when a police officer in Harare sustained serious facial injuries after commandeering a private vehicle that later crashed at Kelvin Corner. Insurance companies have reportedly refused to cover his injuries, arguing he was an unauthorised passenger with no legal reason to be in the car. The incident highlights the potential liability for both motorists and officers engaging in these illegal rides.

Observers say the problem is compounded by an abuse of psychological power. Officers are trained to know drivers want to avoid delays. They know citizens fear confrontation. That leverage is weaponised in routine stops, creating an uneven power dynamic soaked in intimidation.

Calls are now mounting for senior Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officials to intervene. Critics are urging the force to issue a directive banning the practice and to educate officers on proper legal procedures during roadside stops. Until then, many believe the onus is on citizens to remain calm, assert their rights, and resist unlawful instructions.

Legal experts recommend that drivers politely refuse to transport officers, request identification, and document encounters when safe to do so. They warn motorists not to be coerced into giving rides under threats or manipulation.

As Zimbabwe continues to navigate traffic reform and public accountability, many citizens are demanding a simple but powerful shift: that respect for the law applies to everyone - including those who enforce it.

Because driving should not come with the price tag of fear. And letting a traffic cop ride shotgun should never be the cost of staying on the road.