Poor Police houses shock Malawi President: Pledges to build decent ones

President Peter Mutharika expressed shock at the appalling state of security institution houses in the country.

During the inspection of some dilapidate buildings marked for demolition in the Red Star Campaign in Blantyre on Monday, the President ended up entering one of the houses of a Police Officer at Limbe Police Lines.

“The houses are very old they have never been repaired. The lady was kind enough to let us see her living room. It’s extremely small and they are two children there. Almost no light there it’s almost dark. It’s unacceptable,” Mutharika stresses.

He disclosed that the government would construct house units with the help of private investors for security institutions.

“We are working with a number of companies and we are trying to arrange with investors in institution housing not only for Police but various security services, The Army, the Immigration and also Prison Services,” he said.

Southern Region Police Commissioner George Kainja applauded the President for inspecting the Police houses where he appreciated for himself the challenges that the Police face.

“Apart from noticing that the houses which are currently occupied by our junior officers are dilapidated he also observed that the houses are very small. He saw the extension which Police officer made in order to accommodate some members of her family,” he said.

The Democratic progressive Party under the administration of the former President late Bingu Wa Mutharika initiated a project to construct decent and more spacious houses for junior staff at Kanjedza.

But the pilot project did not continue after President Joyce Banda took over the administration in 2012 following the sudden death of the former President.