By MAIMBO MWEEMBA
Chingola District Officer Command Mushita Chilekwa has appealed to Government through the Ministry of Home affairs to increase vehicles for officers in the district.
Speaking during Home Affair’s Minister’s familiarization tour, Mr Chilekwa said that Police officers have continued to conduct foot and motorized patrols during day and night to maintain order.
Mr Chilekwa told the Minister that crime rates have relatively decreased in the district apart from a few aggravated robberies and murder cases of taxi drivers who were booked by criminals and later murdered and robbed of their vehicles.
He said that Police engaged taxi drivers and were sensitized on how to protect themselves while conducting their work.
“The stolen vehicles where later recovered in DR Congo and some of the perpetrators have been apprehended,” he said.
Mr Chilekwa said that the political environment in the district is calm as people are back to conducting their business as usual.
And Home affairs Minister Jack Mwibu has called on police officers in Chingola district to ensure that law and order is administered accordingly.
Speaking during a familiarization tour of the defense units in the district, Mr Mwibu said that Government will not allow anyone to invade private property because the rule of law has to be respected.
Mr Mwibu said that he is aware of some cadres that were in the PF that are supposedly commiting violence in the pretext of being UPND.
“I have heard the plea for increased transportation because you can’t run a district as big as Chingola with limited transport, as Government will address this issue, and the invasion of mining houses by unauthorized individuals will be not allowed in the New Dawn Government,” he said.
Mr Mwibu said that the police have the mandate of ensuring that law and order is maintained professionally.
He appealed to members of the public to respect the police and that it is expected that the police respect the general citizenry and work professionally because Human Rights are cardinal in Government’s dispensation.
And Mr Mwibu urged the officer command in Chingola to ensure that incidences of violence that were reported prior to the August election are not repeated because Chingola was one of the districts that had numerous reports of unfairness from the police.
And Senior Superintendent Officer In charge at the Chingola Correctional facility Kennedy Samakayi said that the situation at the facility is good and in order for both officers and inmates.
Mr Samakayi said that the correctional facility has a number of farming activities such as fish farming, cattle ranching that benefits the inmates and the facility.
Mr Samakayi said that the facility faces challenges such as overflowing in cells, Lack of mattresses for inmates, inadequate and dilapidated housing units for officers, dilapidated kitchen and security wire fence is worn out which is compromising security.
And Home Affairs Minister Jack Mwibu said the increased budget allocations to the correctional facility shows that most the challenges will be addressed.
Mr Mwibu said that the president has directed that correctional facility officers welfare is paramount.
He also commended the correctional facility in charge for the initiative of constructing a bar that will be accessed by the members of the public so that the facility generates some income.
