Activist, businesses demand security
Businesses and a human rights activist have asked government to step up security in the country to ensure peace of mind for both businesses and citizens.
In an interview last week in response to The Nation questionnaire on how rising cases of insecurity are affecting businesses, Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (MCCCI) chief executive officer Chancellor Kaferapanjira said the insecurity is scaring away investors.
Said Kaferapanjira: “The insecurity situation is creating uncertainty among the investors. People are afraid to invest because they are afraid of losing either their lives or property. Instead, they opt to invest somewhere.”
He said even those that have already invested in the country feel insecure and are always hesitant, not knowing what would happen to them next. He asked government to take urgent action.
Said the MCCCI boss: “Security is in the hands of government. We call upon government to invest in security because by doing that, Malawi will attract investment which is good for the economy.”
Institute of Policy Interaction (IPI) executive director Rafiq Hajat also mentioned poverty and corruption as some factors that are contributing to insecurity.
He said a good percentage of people live below the poverty line and they are left with only one option; that is to reap where they did not sow.
Said Hajat: “Then there is weakness within the security system itself where the police are inadequate for the country. There are too many officers but few field staff in the police service.”
While admitting that police are underfunded, Hajat blamed them for misuse of meagre resources they are allocated.
“There is no proper balance between resources and usage. You find police vehicles carrying firewood or goods for the police officers. That’s abuse,” he claimed.
In recent months, the country has recorded rising cases of armed robbery and robbery with violence.
For example, on September 10 2013, armed robbers attacked Namiwawa Private School in Blantyre where they killed the school’s head teacher, George Maluwa, after demanding cash which was not available at the institution.
The assailants forced the school’s security guard, at gun-point, to knock at the head-teacher’s house before stealing computers and other accessories, leaving an apparently suffocated Maluwa helpless. He was reported dead on arrival at the hospital.
On July 13 2013, armed robbers also shot dead a Chinese national, Zhou Feng, at his Mapanga residence along the Limbe-Zomba Road. Zhou, 48, owned Hongfeng Cooking Oil Limited.
There have also been several cases of armed robberies in the country, including vehicle thefts and house breaking.
Police say they are trying their best to contain the security situation in the country.
National Police spokesperson Rhoda Manjolo said among activities the police are carrying out are sweeping exercise operations. She said other strategies include arresting of suspected crime perpetrators, patrols, liaisons and working with communities of interest and collection of crime intelligence.
“We would, therefore, want to assure the public that every effort is being done to ascertain the safety and security of the public,” said Manjolo.
Responding to the question of resources, she said police have on several occasions complained about low funding.
While admitting the financial problems the police are facing, Manjolo could not disclose how much was allocated in the budget and how much police demanded.
Recently, Blantyre Police Station management, in the country’s commercial hub, told a stakeholders meeting that the station’s monthly allocation of K2 million for operations and running of four other sub-stations and seven police units is inadequate.
In the 2012/13 National Budget, the station proposed a budget of K10 million per month but only got K2 million. n
Hajat, know that it is not poverty which leads people to plunder others or practice corruption but lack of true moral values. In the Kamuzu time Malawians were poorer than they are today. But they were loving. In the Bingu regime Malawians were still poor but they behaved. Come Muluzi Malawians were left lose. Come your favourite leader, JB, whom you fought for tooth and nail and left no stone unturned to elevate to presidency, people are left to do the likes of their selfish life. Stop making the world that believe Malawians are the worst poor in everything. Malawians are the richest in goodness and morality. Are those who practice c orruption the poor Malawians? That is an old story. We are tired of hearing it. It is you the so called human right activists with your western adopted ideologies which are encouraging immorality and anomie who are promoting evil in every society. When Bingu talked tough on thieves and corruption you were on the forefront accusing him a dictator To this day some police officers are jailed because in cause of their duty they shot some thugs on July 20. Today you are still accusing poverty on everything. You so called human right activists are the ones who are destroying our country. You have destroyed our rich culture in many ways. You destroyers of good things and sowers of evil. BUT KNOW THIS, FOR CERTAIN, THIS SATANIC AMERICANISM DEMOCRACY HAS REACHED ITS NEAR END. YOUR VOICES AS DESTROYERS OF MORALITY ARE SOON TO MEET WITH THE WRATH OF SOCIETY AS YOU HAVE BEEN TEACHING IT TO BE LAWLESS. SO WE ARE TIRED OF HEARING THE VERY SAME SONG -” IT IS BECAUSE OF POVERTY..” IT IS NOT BECAUSE OF POVERTY BUT BECAUSE OF WEAK IF NOT TOTAL OF LACK OF STRONG LEADERSHIP. HENC YOU HAMAN RIGHT ACTIVISTS SHOULD KEEP QUIET BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOTHING TO DELIVER TO MALAWIANS BUT SOWING EVIL. YOU MADE US TO BELIEVE YOU ARE THE VOICE OF THE VOICELESS MASSES AND YET YOU WERE REVOLUTIONISTS> WHERE ARE YOU WHEN MALAWIANS ARE SEVERELY OPPRESSED NOW? ARE NOT QUIET SHARING THE SPOILS? Your voice shall never be heeded anymore you corrupt so called CSOs.
Malawi is not poor we have all what other countries on this planet earth have. Sometimes we even surpassing them. Corruption and stealing is the disease of failure ti enforce strict measures of morality. The Malawian society is now reaping the fruits of supporting the corrupt CSOs’ practitioners whose objectives are self-enrichment.