By Farai D Hove| At a time when the Zimbabwe Republic Police is in a difficult session of struggling to re-establish public trust, the same law enforcement establishment that gave rise to the 2017 November coup, has come out guns blazing claiming that people are dying to see the return of its roadblock activities.

Last year, the Zimbabwean public celebrated the removal of the police following a spate of several years of piles and piles of corrupt activities that eroded the fibre of Zimbabwean citizenry and pride as a nation. Several months before the November transition, there were classic clashes between soldiers and the police in what was despite being unconstitutional, the public felt Zimbabwe needs a total overhaul of the police force, the major centre of concern being roadblock activities.

At one time as ZimEye reveals, the then police boss, Augustine Chihuri ended up writing several memos instructing police officers to restrain from roadblock activities: he even clearly stated that the cops must be careful not to annoy the public.

When the November coup eventually transpired, millions of Zimbabweans, singled out police roadblocks as their main irritation. Many said they are unnecessary and even the minister who is in charge of the police, Obert Mpofu agreed with the public mood. Chihuri himself was booed down at the National Sports stadium on the 24th November as the public demanded his immediate removal over the roadblock menace.

Now just 4 months after the coup, the police spokesman has dramatically claimed that the public are dying to see the return of police roadblocks. She told a workshop of journalists in Gweru that, “right now if you go to Harare people are crying for roadblocks; Why? Because there is chaos in the central business district, its chaotic because of congestion, it’s now a jungle.

“Roadblocks are part of our police side duties, we cannot completely do away with roadblocks because now there is chaos and people have been complaining that the police is now behaving as if they don’t care. People are saying ZRP now you have developed an attitude that shows that you no longer want to do your job.”