SANFROSSA MANYINDA writes
THE increasing number of criminal gangs in Kitwe despite efforts by the local authorities to eliminate them has worried District Commissioner Binwell Mpundu.
Mr. Mpundu said that the bothersome situation was brought to his attention recently after he met residents of Miseshi, D-Sections and Mindolo townships who told him about the presence of two more gang groups that call themselves the ‘Unruly’ and the ‘Sokota’ besides the already existing five others
He said that when he met with the community to discuss security concerns it was decided to bring out board members of the community to be part of the people working on eliminating crime in the area.
The civic leader said that it was not fair for the residents to be experiencing burglaries as well as harassments at the hands of the criminals who he said had kept the residents under siege.
“The meeting resolved that the young people in the affected communities will form two neighbourhood watch groups whose duty will be spearheaded by Mr Bernard Mwila and Mr Michael Mulindwa Katoma. This was arrived at after it was discovered that the Crime Prevention Committee which comprised of old folks is not able to contain the challenges being posed by the notorious youthful gangs,” he said.
He explained that police were also members of the community and that the community was part of the police hence the need to work hand in hand in feeling with the security threats in the community.