By
Paul Shalala
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| Kitwe District Commissioner Binwell Mpundu addressing residents of Miseshi last week -Picture by Time Photograpy |
Exactly
22 days before the Kitwe High Court rules on the fate of the 18 Tokota Gang
members, two other previously unknown gangs have sprung up in Kitwe.
The
Unruly and Sokota Gangs have established themselves in the western half of Zambia’s
second largest city, terrorizing residents especially at night.
According
to some residents, the gangs are involved in a number of burglaries and petty
thefts.
At
a meeting held recently to sort out the security lapse in the area, residents
complained that the local Community Crime Prevention Unit (CCPU), which are a
creation of the Zambia Police Service, are not helping.
“We
want a neighbourhood watch group comprised energetic people, not these old men
in CCPU,” said one resident.
The
residents also wondered why Police officers are no longer present at night to
conduct patrols in the badly affected areas of Mindolo, Miseshi and D Section.
The meeting later resolved to form two neighbourhood watch groups to be spearheaded by youth leaders Bernard Mwila and Michael Katoma.
The
neighbourhood watch communities have been formed under the slogan "The
Security of my community is my responsibility."
Despite
members of the public knowing the gang members terrorizing their community,
they are scared to report them to the Police.
“The
sad part is that the members of the community in Miseshi actually know who
these criminals are but are scared to disclose their identities. So the
challenge I give them is that they should never cry foul if they don't do the
noble duty of furnishing information to the security wings,” said Binwell
Mpundu, Kitwe District Commissioner.
Mr.
Mpundu, who is the head of government in Kitwe and is in charge of all state
security agencies in the district, went on to give advise to the community.
“I
just want to warn parents who are habouring these criminals that they risk
being prosecuted for aiding, abetting or otherwise shielding these criminals or
else they have a task to transform their children into responsible citizens
before the law visits them.”
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| Bernard Mwila (in red), one of the Youths to lead the local neighbourhood watch groups |
Last
year, fear gripped almost all neighbourhoods in Kitwe as various criminal gangs terrorised this major mining town, raping, beating and stealing from people
especially at night.
The
gangs such as the Tokota Boys, Sons Of the Devil (SOD), The 100s, (0 Niggas, 70
Niggas, Mbwambwambwa and many others disappeared when the Zambia Police Service
launched a vicious crackdown in May 2018.
Dozens
of gang members were arrested, prosecuted and a number of them jailed for their
criminal activities.
Some
of them such the 18 Tokota Boys are awaiting judgement in the High Court next
month.
Their
arrests brought jubilation in the city but the old days are back as new gangs
have taken over territory which other gangs held last year.
