Unjust Burden: The Unfair Mandate for Police Officers to Pay Bus Fare

The Thin Blue Line is meant to be a steadfast symbol of order and defense, yet across Zimbabwe, that line is too often found stranded on the pavement. This book addresses a reality so fundamentally absurd that it demands immediate national attention: the mandate that our police officers must pay their own bus fare to respond to a crime scene. This is not merely a question of poor salary or minor bureaucratic oversight; it is a profound institutional crisis that has resulted in the Unjust Burden—the transfer of essential state operational costs onto the shoulders of the very individuals sworn to uphold the law. Unjust Burden explores the catastrophic downstream effects of this policy, illustrating how the inability of a police officer to afford a $1 fare creates a logistical chasm that results in a two-tier justice system. For those who cannot afford private security or transport for their officers, justice is perpetually delayed, evidence is lost, and public confidence in the rule of law erodes completely. But this book is not just a critique of state failure. It is a Call to Action, proposing a radical shift in perspective and responsibility. We argue that the restoration of dignity and mobility to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) is the single most vital, immediate step toward improving national security. This can only be achieved through a concerted, two-pronged approach: Institutional Reform: Implementing high-impact, low-cost state policies such as duty passes, formalized transport subsidies, and legislated priority transport for emergencies. The Civic Call: Fostering a nationwide culture that recognizes assisting an on-duty, stranded officer with transport as a non-negotiable civic act, not charity. It is a direct, collective investment in the security of one's own community. The shield of the ZRP officer—and by extension, the protection of the citizenry—is currently tarnished and stationary. To restore order and maintain the law effectively, we must first restore the dignity and mobility of the men and women tasked with enforcing it. This book is dedicated to every officer who has ever walked three kilometers to a crime scene, and to every citizen who deserves a rapid response. The time for passive expectation is over. The time for collective action is now.