By Ivy Yohane
Blantyre, September 24, Mana: Naizi Ward Councilor, Raphael Mzimu has expressed concern over the delay of the police to deploy staff to the community constructed Naizi Police Unit in Traditional Authority Machinjiri in Blantyre.
Speaking in an interview with Malawi News Agency (Mana) on Tuesday, Mzimu said since the construction of the unit was completed in 2021 up to date the place has not been operating due to lack of police officers.
According to Mzimu, Limbe police officials came to inspect the newly constructed police unit but they did not recommend it, saying the building was too small and its environment was not suitable for a police unit.
“We decided to build a police unit because of the rise in criminal activity in our area. After their visit, we tried out best to improve the unit by reconstructing a big building and cleaning the surroundings to make the place suitable for them but still no approval from police officials after they revisited the place,”said Mzimu.
In separate interview, Naizi Market Chairman, Hasten Chipande, concurred with Mzimu indicating that they were registering criminal cases each and every day as such they thought that the police unit would minimize the cases.
“We are asking people in charge to open the police unit. Cases to do with theft are on rise in our market. Opening of this new police unit will help decrease such malpractice,” said Chipande.
He added that the building is now in bad shape because it was built a long time ago and other community members are encroaching.
Public Relations Officer for Limbe Police Station, Aubrey Singanyama said they are working on assessing the police unit and once it has met the requirements they will provide police officers.
“Its true that cases of crime at Naizi market are high but we are still working on modalities of the construction, once everything is done we will open the police unit, he said.
