Twimepoki Mangani

Lilongwe, December 16, Mana: Minister of Homeland Security Ken Zikhale Ng’oma has unveiled a Crime Action Management plan during Christmas and New Year period, which will be implemented in all the five regions of the country. 

Zikhale Ng’oma rolled out the initiative on Friday during a press briefing in Lilongwe where he said the essence of the exercise is to prevent crimes and reduce the number of road accidents.

Ng’oma said the Malawi Police Service (MPS) will conduct strategic operations that will include the deployment of uniform and civilian police officers in different locations, as well as mounting road blocks in all accident prone roads.

“There shall be intensive foot and motor vehicle patrols in all tourist attraction and crime prone areas and drivers should strive to observe all regulations, such speeding, capacity and driving under the influence of alcohol,” he said.

He also hailed the MPS for their outstanding performance in 2023 where they were able to register and conclude cases in a timely order’

He, therefore, pledged to lobby with the government to have the MPS’s annual budget fully covered to alleviate different problems they encounter that include transportation.

In a separate interview, National Police Public Relations Officer Peter Kalaya said the service has intensified awareness campaigns using social media platforms, which encompass how to report crimes as well as offering security tips at household level.

Kalaya said the strategic festive season plans cater for, among others, road management with deployment of traffic officers on all major roads as well as in all districts by the lake while also urging Malawians to cooperate with the police.

He further expressed satisfaction with the sentiments shared by the Ministry of Homeland Security regarding their outstanding performance, noting that the service is doing its best and that Malawians can testify of that.

Recently, the Malawi Police made huge strides on the controversial murder case of Reserve Bank of Malawi employee Agnes Katengeza with the arrest of the victim’s close relative Amos Katengeza.