The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has warned members of the public with licensed firearms to desist from displaying them in public.
Speaking to NewsDay, ZRP national spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the police had cases where some people got into shopping centres displaying firearms. He said:
We have had cases of people who are abusing their firearms. Some are giving them to their relatives who later use them to commit robberies.
Others are not securing their firearms which then land in the wrong hands later used by criminals.
We have also had cases where some people even get into shopping centres and start showing around live arms.
Others get to a stage of going to public gatherings where they start firing unnecessarily in the air, which is dangerous.
In a statement on Monday, 4 July, Asst Comm Nyathi said police will not hesitate to enforce the withdrawal of the firearm licences and arrest those who abuse the privilege of legally owning a firearm.