Mediocrity Sweeps across MPS in Mzimba

By: Thula Chisamba

The Malawi Police in the Northern region district of Mzimba has been hit with mediocrity due to what officers claim to be lack of resources.

In a spot check The Malawi Star conducted in about 10 Police units in the district found that officers are operating under very pathetic conditions.

In most police units, they do not have vehicles to ease their mobility thus they had to foot about 2 kilometers in some instances to and from crime scenes.

A Police officer at Kafulule police unit told The Malawi star team that being a police officer in Mzimba is as bad is being a slave.

“We don’t have anything to support our operations here. Talk of mobility, we have to foot up to a distance of 2 kilometers one way to reach crime scenes,” he said pleading for anonymity.

He adds that they end up reaching the crime scene tired and sometimes fail to nab the criminals. It is for this same reason that they sometimes just let criminals free.

Officer in Charge for the same Police Unit, Clement Chamanga confirmed the problem but said despite requesting for resources from the head office, nothing materializes.

“We sometimes even fail to have enough cuffs despite notifying them, they offer us a deaf ear,” said Chamanga.

The publication also found that the Police to residents’ ratio is very worrisome hence an increase in crime rates in the district.

The once  police publicist for the district Constable Lingstone Kanjautso  told our reporter that one police officer caters for about 3,000 residents, a situation he backed as very worrisome.

“We are facing a lot of problems which are impeeding on our operations. We can do better if the resources can be provided to us,” said Kanjautso.

He then urged the general public to give a hand to the police so that it begins to work up to standard.

On his part, Inkosi Jalavikuwo of the district hailed the police for using their little resources effectively.

“We really have to help the police because without them even if we develop our country with buildings, they will mean nothing because they will be insecured,” said Jalavikuwo.

When we went to the press efforts proved futile to hear from the government side.