Lilongwe, October 9, 2014, Mana: Community leaders from four traditional authorities in Lilongwe Thursday hailed Masauko Medi, former Kanengo Police Officer In-Charge, for initiating various security programmes during his short period at the station.
Senior Group Village Headman (GVH) Chimoka, and Chair person for the station’s Executive Committee for Community Policing, Harrison Mandindi, described Medi, who is now Senior Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Regional), as “one of the finest and competent officers with the security of the country at heart”.
The two were speaking during the launch of Kanengo Police/Faith Community Security Forum at Kanengo Police Station, a brain-child of Medi following a series of robberies at religious institutions, among them churches.
“Within a short period of less than three months Mr. Medi has been Kanengo’s Officer In-Charge, we have had a number of operations and initiatives that have seen security returning in our midst,” explained Mandindi retired PS in the ministry of trade and industry.
He cited a series of sweeping operations and continuous patrols in the station’s jurisdiction, and the formation of the police/faith community security forum as examples of the successful initiatives of Medi in the area.
Mandindi added that he was impressed that as a model police station in the country, Kanengo was always headed by competent officers “who always strive for new and better ways of enhancing security in the area”.
Snr. GVH Chimoka, who represented Traditional Authority Chitukula, concurred with Mandindi saying Medi’s idea of the police teaming up with the faith community to fight theft and robbery in prayer institutions was first of its kind in the country.
“This is the first time I’m hearing of such forum in the country and as traditional leaders, we welcome the initiative and we will support it,” explained Chimoka.
Medi, who has now moved to the regional office to serve in his new post, said in an interview that he would ensure that the newly formed forum not only succeeds but expands too.
“It’s not just a question of seeing it sustained; I’ll use my influence in my new capacity to see the forum expand beyond station level,” explained Medi, adding, “Using the faith community in the fight against robbery and other crimes is an effective way because they meet every week or every day at various levels.”
The newly formed forum is aimed at established security committees within churches and mosques which will work in corroboration with the police to fight robbery in prayer houses.
The faith community has since been warned against disclosing amounts of cash collected during fundraising events, and keeping of cash in pastors’ houses.
The launch of the forum drew religious leaders from mosques and various churches, traditional leaders and other community leaders from the four traditional authorities under Kanengo Police Station namely, Chimutu, M’bang’ombe, Mtema and Chitukula.
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