By Benedicto Maguda

Blantyre, December 8, Mana:  Malawi Police Service (MPS) has said they are ready to provide maximum security as well as traffic patrols with the aim of reducing crime and road accidents during the 2024/25 Christmas and New Year festivities.

Speaking with Malawi News Agency (Mana) over the weekend, Deputy Police Public Relations Officer for Southwest Region, Beatrice Mikuwa, said they have put several measures to ensure that there is security for people as well as their property.

“We have put different strategies that we shall use to make sure that in our areas there is peace and order during the festive season. For example, we will deploy more officers in our townships and other places to provide security,” she said.

However, Mikuwa has urged people to take care of themselves especially by making sure that they have security in their homes when they are out of their homes.

“In time like this people usually go out to different places to enjoy themselves; like at the lake, they are supposed to make sure that there is someone to take care of their homes, we are also asking them not to post on social media their location; whereby others can take advantage to break their homes,” Mikuwa said.

She also advised motorists to avoid driving while drunk of which this has been contributing to the rise of accidents in the past festive seasons.

“Malawians should know that it is their responsibility to take care of themselves especially when they are driving, this time around we will not entertain drink and drive,” she said.

In the past years police and the Directorate of Road Traffic and Safety Services has been conducting operations during festive season with the aim of reducing accidents.

The operations have been successful, contributing to a reduction in road accidents to 31, with nine fatalities during the 2023/24 festive period, compared to 56 accidents and 20 fatalities during the 2022/23 festive season.