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Mobility challenges frustrate crime prevention in Mwanza

Community policing forums in Mwanza have said lack of transport is negatively affecting crime reduction efforts in the district.

Kanduku Community Policing Forum chairperson Paul Tobias said this on Wednesday during a station executive committee (SEC) bi-annual meeting called to share members’ crime reduction performance report for the district from January to June 2019.

“We fail to monitor community policing committees in remote areas because we do not have transport,” he said.

Inspector Doviko Makawa speaks
during the meeting

Tobias said if bicycles were provided, community policing services would improve.

He said the report indicated that 160 criminal cases were registered in the past six months compared to 112 recorded in 2018 during the same period. This represents a 43 percent increase.

Reads the report: “In 2019, there were four homicide, 12 sexual offences, 41 housebreaking cases, six robberies, 26 assaults and 68 general theft cases.

“During the corresponding period in 2018, one homicide, 10 sexual offences, 24 housebreaking, two robbery cases, 15 assault and 60 general theft cases were reported.”

The district also registered an increase of road accidents from three in the first six months last year to 12 this year.

Mwanza Police Station spokesperson Edwin Kaunda attributed the increase of crimes and long distance to security facilities.

He attributed the rise in road accidents to riding motor cycles without wearing crush helmets and excessive drinking of alcohol.

Recently, the station introduced trophies in each quarter to motivate community policing forums in their work.

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