Tue, 20 Jun 2017 13:41:10 +0000
By ROGERS KALERO
POLICE Garneton police station in Kitwe are unable to carry out any operations in the area because they do not have a vehicle to use for various activities.
The police station has also no holding cells where suspects can be detained before being taken to court.
Garneton police station officer-in charge Kenneth Mungwira told Kitwe Mayor Christopher Kang’ombe and area ward councillor Mpasa Mwaya during the tour of the police station that police officers were operating under very difficult conditions.
And Mr Kang’ombe sympathized with the police officers over the difficult conditions they were working under and promised that the challenges the officers were going through would receive appropriate attention.
“It is really sad that the police station has no vehicle for operations, and has no holding cells where suspects could be detained. The officer in charge is also made to share an office with other officers who are supposed to have their own offices.
“This is sad but the main purpose of this tour in Itimpi is to get the views of the people regarding the challenges they are facing. So what we have heard at Garneton police station are serious issues which need serious attention,” Mr Kang’ombe said.
Mr Kang’ombe appealed to the people in the area to desist from engaging in vandalism of public infrastructure and ensure that they guarded them jealously.
He said efforts of Government and other stakeholders were being wasted by some members of the public who were stealing and vandalizing infrastructure put up to improve people’s lives.
He said it was sad that some people were stealing solar panels put up for to pump water for boreholes to improve water supply in the area.
“For the PF government to deliver on its campaign promises, it needs your support in various ways. One of the ways is to stop vandalism. Government and cooperating partners are spending a lot of money to put up infrastructure to improve people’s lives, but thefts and vandalism have proved to be retrogressive.
“The money we are using on replacing stolen or vandalized infrastructure can be used on other projects that can go a long way to improve people’s lives. So my brothers and sisters, let us fight vandalism,” the mayor said.
