Community members in Sub-Traditional Authority (ST/A) Mponda have commended the police for willing to deploy officers to Katemba Police Unit which closed in March 2025.

The unit was closed after angry community members burned it down. Since then, traditional leaders and residents have been pushing for its reopening due to rising security concerns.

On Saturday, Mangochi Police Station officer-in-charge Owen Maganga engaged communities at Namisi Teacher Development Centre on the way forward.

Maganga speaking during the meeting. I Nation

In his remarks, ST/A Mponda thanked the police for re-engaging the community and assured them of the traditional leaders’s support in restoring peace and order.

“We will work with the police to fight crime in the area. I will also engage my subjects on the dangers of vandalising police infrastructure,” he said.

The chief said the community was ready to support construction of a new structure

Katema Ward councillor Daudi Bata from Mangochi South West Constituency pledged to lobby for the project to be prioritised.

“I will engage the district commissioner’s office to ensure the project is given priority because people need police services,” he said.

During the meeting, Maganga reminded the community that rebuilding the unit is their responsibility through the Constituency Development Fund.

“The police are ready to redeploy officers once the structure is in place. Our role is to provide security, not construct buildings,” he said.

Maganga said officers will in the meantime conduct patrols on market days to enhance security.