By: Annakleta Haikera

Inspector general of the Namibian police Joseph Shikongo on Saturday handed over a Legend 45 D4D 3litre pickup bakkie to the police in the Mukwe constituency following a visit to the region.

The Mukwe police station got the new vehicle after working for three years without one.

The vehicle was received by the Kavango East regional crime coordinator Bonifatius Kanyetu who said they have been using police vehicles from Divhundu to attend to crimes within the Mukwe area.

Nampol’s Inspector general Shikongo  urged the police to use the car to do things that matter and stop crime in the Kavango East region. He also directed the police to ensure  “robust police operation”.

He also encouraged constant and consistent operations until incidents of crime at Rundu and its surroundings are reduced.

Mukwe constituency councilor Damian Maghambayi said the vehicle came at the right time. “For the past two years the Mukwe police have not been having a car and it was very difficult for the police to attend to crimes on time. Thus they have to wait for hours for the police in Divhudu to respond to their calls and send them a car. I am delighted that through the Mukwe constituency development committee meetings we managed to send our complaints to the police inspector general.”

Maghambayi said criminals have been terrorising the Kavango East region, some of these being children who are in groups called the ‘Okapi family’.

“They are terrorising people in front of the police. It is a very unfortunate situation that some of these children cannot be arrested because they are as young as 11 years old. The biggest problem we have in the community are people who are not standing together to fight crime. If the community stands together, we will eliminate some of the crimes happening daily, especially the grabbing of phones,” the councillor said.

Regional crime coordinator said Kavango East is a region that is so vast with limited infrastructure and it is not spared from crime. “No police vehicles will be driven without authorisation from the head office,” he declared.

Kanyetu urged for proactive policing in face of soaring demand and officers to respond when they are needed them most.