Villagers at Garanyemba Village in Gwanda have expressed concern at the mess made by police officers manning a nearby permanent road block at a bus stop in the area after the cops were caught numerous times relieving themselves in the open thickets.
In a complaint made available to ZimEye, the villagers complained bitterly on the way their surrounding has been smeared with human waste and other waste by the police officers. According to the villagers, members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police have been manning a road block on the spot for the last five years on a daily basis from 6am to 6pm but no ablution facilities are provided at the road block spot.
The villagers claim that police use the near by bushy area as their toilet to an extent that the area is now heavily infested with human waste. The villagers complain more so because the area where the police relieve themselves is around a path that their children use going to school.
Taken to the scene of the allegations the news crew discovered a huge manifestation of human waste, empty cans and lots of plastic paper left around the roadblock site. What shocked the reporter worse was that amongst the waste disposed of in open were used sanitary pads a serious health risk.
Interviewed for comments, the villagers all expressed a disappointment that the police use the spot as a permanent road block site and not bother to erect even temporary toilet structures. The villagers raised serious health concerns particularly for their children who use the area all the time. They also expressed concern on their livestock particularly their goats which have died after consuming some of the waste particularly the plastic matter.
Efforts were made to enquire on the allegations from the police in Guyu where the said officers are based. The junior officers spoken to refused to comment referring the reporter to Gwanda District police information department as they were not allowed to comment.