Government To Hire External Auditors To Go Through ZRP's Books

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration will engage a private audit firm to carry out a forensic audit into the Zimbabwe Republic Police’s books. This comes after concerns that senior officers embezzled millions of dollars from spot fines and directed unsanctioned salary deductions. The issue of deductions had already resulted in internal audits at police stations across the country. A senior officer who spoke to the Zimbabwe Independent said:

Following the retirement of senior officers and need to widen the scope of the audit, the services of an external auditor will be required. So the government will contract a firm to carry out this role.

The ZRP is also reported to be carrying out a lifestyle audit on its officers as it tries to fight the scourge of corruption.President Mnangagwa’s government is keen to rehabilitate the image of the Zimbabwe Republic Police which had taken a battering under the tenure of former Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri. The ZRP had become one of the most reviled organisations as motorist both local and tourists complained of rampant corruption and extortion at numerous roadblocks. Since President Mnangagwa came into power, the number of roadblocks has been drastically reduced and the conduct of police officers seems to be improving.