Zimbabwe records 428,634 crimes in first quarter

Zimbabwe recorded 428,634 criminal offences between January and March 2026, representing a marginal 0.4 percent increase from the 426,946 offences recorded during the fourth quarter of 2025.

The figures were released by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) in its latest crime statistics report.

Despite the increase in the total number of offences, the national crime rate declined to 2,649.8 crimes per 100,000 people, from 2,812.7 per 100,000 population in the previous quarter.

ZIMSTAT director-general Tafadzwa Bandama said offences against public order and state security recorded the highest crime rate during the period.

"These offences recorded the highest crime rate at 1,782.1 offences per 100,000 population, compared with 1,849.1 per 100,000 population in the fourth quarter of 2025," Bandama said.

Harare recorded the highest crime rate among the country's policing provinces, at 6,549.2 offences per 100,000 people — more than twice the national average.

Bulawayo and Masvingo policing provinces also recorded crime rates above the national average.

According to ZIMSTAT, 288,279 offences were recorded under the public safety and state security category during the first quarter, translating to a rate of 1,782.1 offences per 100,000 people.

The statistics also showed that 306 cases of intentional homicide were recorded during the three-month period, giving a rate of 1.9 cases per 100,000 people.

Assaults and threats were the most prevalent individual offences, with 27,181 cases, translating to a rate of 168 per 100,000 population.

Dangerous acts ranked second, with 13,192 cases and a crime rate of 81.6 per 100,000 people.

The country also recorded 35,109 theft cases, representing a rate of 217 offences per 100,000 population.

Meanwhile, 3,336 cases involving unlawful acts relating to controlled drugs or precursors were recorded, translating to a rate of 20.6 per 100,000 people.

ZIMSTAT further recorded 3,241 cases of fraud during the first quarter, while 47 cases of corruption were reported.

The statistics indicate that while the overall number of reported offences increased marginally compared with the previous quarter, the crime rate per 100,000 population declined.