JB vows to fight crime

Malawi President Joyce Banda has assured the citizens that her government would not sit idle but fight crime at all levels, considering the fact that the world is dynamic and engulfed by threats of terrorism activities.

President Banda was speaking during the opening of a day-long Security Sector Symposium in Lilongwe, organised for very senior government officials, the academia, the private sector, media fraternity, state security personnel, private security organisations and the civil society.

“Security is an essential prerequisite for any country to develop, hence its existence should not be underrated worldwide,” said Banda.

Malawi has of late experienced a rise in crime, a development that has been attributed to the removal of late former president Bingu wa Mtharika’s the shoot to kill suspects on scene policy by the Joyce Banda regime.

The Malawi leader admitted that criminal records of robberies and breakings had shown to had been on the increase in the first half of 2012, despite a drop of 18.2 percent drop in other forms of crime recorded nation wide.

“Latest figures I have, indicate that recorded crime nation wide decreased by 18.2 % between January and June 2011 compared to the same period in 2012.

“It is high impact crime such as robberies that have been on the increase in the first half of 2012 as contrasted with the same period in 2011,” said President Banda.

The symposium tackled issues focusing on gaining an understanding of the current threats on military, politics and economy; analyzing current approaches on national and international security threats, and identifying potential areas for enhancing multi-agency cooperation.

President Banda thanked the British government for assisting Malawi with resources for the symposium to take place.

Facilitators for the symposium were from the Republic of South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Britain.