Police warn Bulawayo school children against gang fights

As the end of the school term approaches, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) in Bulawayo has issued a stern warning to schoolchildren to avoid engaging in public fights and gang-related activities.

During a recent safety campaign, Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Nomalanga Msebele urged city schools to abandon the recurring practice of gathering for fights as the term closes.

"School will be closing on August 7, and it's become a habit for city schools like Milton, Gifford, Hamilton, and Founders to converge in the Central Business District (CBD), bullying each other, engaging in gang fights, and holding rallies around the city center, Haddon, and Sly," Inspector Msebele said.

She added that police forces are fully deployed to prevent such gatherings but called on the community to assist in discouraging the violence. "We do not want to see any form of gathering from schoolchildren, and we urge everyone to chase them from town to their homes because that is where they are safe."

The spokesperson recounted previous incidents resulting from these fights, highlighting severe injuries and even a past murder case linked to Founders High School. "One Gifford student suffered a fractured hand and leg for an entire term because of these fights," she noted.

Inspector Msebele stressed that the police cannot be everywhere at once, placing responsibility on parents, guardians, and community members to intervene early and help prevent these clashes. "We call on all stakeholders to come forward and disperse these children to their homes."

As schools prepare to close next week, authorities and the community alike are urged to work together to ensure a peaceful end to the term.