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Zimbabwe bans police officers from using phones while on duty

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Zimbabwe’s government has implemented an immediate ban on police officers using mobile phones while on duty, as stated in a recent memo.

The directive requires officers to leave their personal devices with supervisors upon arriving at their stations and permits usage only during designated break times.

The memo did not specify the reasons for the ban, but it is widely speculated that it aims to combat police corruption.

This decision follows the recent arrest of two traffic enforcement officers in Harare, who were caught on video accepting bribes from public transport drivers, a clip that went viral on social media.

Police spokesperson Paul Nyathi condemned the arrested officers, labeling them as “bad apples who do not deserve to be serving in the police service.”

The new policy appears to reinforce a previous directive issued late last month, which noted that “despite numerous instructions given forbidding use of cell phones whilst on duty by members of the police service, commanders are not enforcing this.”

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According to the circular, “No member is allowed to be in possession of a cell phone whilst on duty. Cell phones should only be used during break and lunch times.”

Officers responsible for police stations have been tasked with enforcing this ban, and the memo warns of consequences for non-compliance: “Once a member is found with a cell phone whilst on duty, the officer in-charge of the said member will be put to task.”

The Zimbabwean police force is often viewed as one of the most corrupt institutions in the country, attributed to low salaries and challenging working conditions.

Source-BBC

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