By Fanuel Chinowaita
MUTARE — The skies over Mutare are becoming part of the police beat.
As thousands of pupils prepare to return to school, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) in Manicaland has unveiled a more technology-driven approach to law enforcement, deploying drones to monitor illegal activities while stepping up road-safety checks on motorists.
The development was announced during a back-to-school safety campaign held in Mutare’s Central Business District and at Sakubva Terminus, where police warned parents against using unregistered public transport and urged motorists to abandon reckless driving.
ZRP Manicaland Acting Spokesperson Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka said the force had embraced Smart Policing, with technology now playing a greater role in policing the province.
“Drones are now in Mutare to monitor all illegal activity,” Chinyoka said, citing activities such as illegal mining and touting among those being targeted.
The deployment represents a significant change in how police intend to monitor the city, taking surveillance beyond traditional patrols and putting areas under an additional layer of aerial observation.
The technology is being introduced alongside other enforcement tools, including breathalysers used to detect motorists driving under the influence of alcohol.
The police warning comes at a critical time, with schools reopening and demand for public transport expected to rise.
Parents have been urged to use registered public transport instead of mushikashika, while motorists have been warned against speeding and overloading.
Chinyoka said parents should also take an active role in confronting dangerous driving.
“Parents have the right to tell drivers not to overspeed and not to overload. They should report bad driving to the police,” he said.
Police officers took the campaign to commuters and transport operators in the CBD and at Sakubva Terminus, with Officer Commanding Manicaland Province Commissioner Charles Nhete also in attendance.
The message from the police is that the back-to-school period will not simply bring more officers onto the streets — it will bring more technology into the fight against crime and road violations.
From breathalysers on the roads to drones in the skies, Manicaland police say the way they police Mutare is changing.
