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Political Correspondent
Police officers assigned to the just ended Southern African Development Community (Sadc) Summit duties have expressed outrage over the alleged paltry payment for their services.
The officers, who were deployed for a ten-day duty escorting delegates, were expecting a daily allowance of US$80, which would have seen them getting US$800 for the duration of their assignment. However, they were shocked to receive only ZiG$3 200, equivalent to US$200.
“The ZiG$3 200 was paid in batches, and we had to use our own funds to cater for our needs during the ten days,” a police source said.
“This is unacceptable, and we feel exploited.”
Police spokesperson Paul Nyathi denied claims that the officers were underpaid.
“Everything was done above board, and they were accordingly paid,” Nyathi said.
“The allowances were in United States dollars, but transferred into Zimbabwe Gold equivalent for those days.”
However, sources say the development has brought to the fore concerns about the welfare and remuneration of law enforcement agents, who are increasingly feeling undervalued and overworked.
“The government spent big on the Sadc summit, buying vehicles and hosting delegates, but they can’t pay us a decent allowance,” another officer said.
“It’s demoralizing and shows that they don’t value our services.”
In a related incident, two former police officers were arrested for tampering with the internal banking system and diverting funds meant for allowances for junior cops. Paulos Evidence and Costa Murevesi committed the crimes while they were still employed by the Zimbabwe Republic Police and stationed at the Manicaland provincial headquarters.
The internal audit revealed that Paulos diverted payments for 19 police officers into his bank account, while Murevesi diverted payments for 46 officers into his bank accounts.
The total value prejudiced was US$30 613.93.
“This is a clear indication of the lack of transparency and accountability in the police force,” a source said.
“It’s not just about the allowances, but about the broader issues of corruption and mismanagement.”
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