By Vincent Gunde
Dowa Police Station’s investigations has found out that there is public outcry contributing to high percentages of criminal cases which are emanating from drinking places surrounding Dzaleka Refugee Camp in the district.
The Police Station has discovered that some drinking places are opening the whole night without limited time because their licenses are allowing them to do so describing this as a cause of insecurity in and surrounding the Camp.
The Station said bars operating without limitation, poverty, information sharing, dangerous drugs and criminal harboring, have contributed to increasing cases at Dzaleka Camp and the surrounding hosts communities.
Briefing the District executive committee (Dec) in Dowa, Dowa Police Station’s Community Policing Coordinator, Sub. Insp. Western Makweya, said police in the district took an initiative to discuss issues of security sexual related cases and criminal activities within the Camp.
Makweya said several meetings were organized in 2024 hand in hand with PLAN Malawi with community policing under Dzaleka Refugee Camp and zone leaders and this included community bar owners, sex workers, and youth clubs.
He said during the meetings it came to light that bars especially Night Clubs are having a lion share, a contributing factor to crime rate inside the Camp because they are operating without limit which is also creating a honeymoon for criminals to commit crimes giving an example of ADENO Night Club.
The Community Policing Coordinator said Dzaleka Camp was established in 1994 initially designed to accommodate 12,000 people on an area of 201 hectares of land but currently, is hosting 50,000 plus refugees from countries like Ethiopia, Rwanda, Somalia, DRC and Burundi.
“Each and every passing day, the Camp is receiving new arrivals, some of these are soldiers who committed various atrocities in their respective countries and when they come in Malawi, they change their names,” said Makweya.
Dowa district has two main Police Stations, one at Mponela covering Dowa Central, North, Ngala and the Western side in the areas of Traditional Authorities Mponela, Chakhaza, Dzoole and Kayembe and boma headquarters covering Dowa South East, North East and East in the areas of Traditional Authorities Nkukula, Msakambewa and Chiwere.
