Police clean Mangochi Town Council
In a bid to avoid confrontation with the people that had planned to damp garbage at Mangochi Town Council offices, police on Wednesday abandoned their normal duties to remove waste matter that had been piling in the township.
Businesspeople and other concerned citizens had earlier threatened to close Mangochi Main Market and stop paying market fees by June 1 if the town council did not improve the state of sanitation within the township.
And when the council failed to respect the vendors’ deadline, people decided to start removing the garbage and damping it at the council’s offices.
During a meeting between police and the concerned people, the law enforcers assured the residents that if the council failed to remove the dirt by Wednesday, the police would be responsible for removing it to avoid possible violence.
And when the council failed to start the exercise, police officers mobilised themselves and started removing the filth using police vehicles and other cars that were provided by well-wishers.
However, officials from the town council did not avail themselves for the exercise.
“We are cleaning the township because we have seen that what people were complaining about is true. The township is dirty and police officers cannot be spared from diseases resulting from the garbage. “As such, we have taken it upon ourselves to make sure that we are living in a clean environment,” said Mangochi Police Officer-in-Charge Deputy Commissioner Elija Kachikuwo.
He said as police officers, they have the responsibility to cultivate coexistence among the stakeholders which in turn can help in strengthening relationships which can lead to a secure society.
“We are happy that some of the community members have joined us today. We will continue with the exercise because we cannot finish in a day. What is important is that the people have understood us and are willing to cooperate,” said Kachikuwo.
In an earlier interview, chairperson for Mangochi Town Council, Ibrahim Kacheya, said the council would remove the garbage by the end of June as the Council was looking for finances and contractors to do the exercise.
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