Mwanza — Crime cannot continue rooting and escalating every year in society, at least that is the thought and hope of Senior Chief Kanduku of Mwanza.

The vice, he says, has shown signs of abating in his area due to the institution of some local guidelines.

"We put by-laws in our communities to control crime. Minor offences that attract petty punishments have helped to reduce crime in my area," Chief Kanduku says.

The local leader's remarks exemplify the crime slump in the district.

Records obtained from Mwanza Police Station show that between January to March this year, the district registered 64 criminal cases, representing an 11 percent drop from last year's 72.

Senior Chief Kanduku says the decline is a milestone and feels more can be done to make Mwanza a crime free district.

In Chief Kanduku's view, authorities ought to recognise the strict punishments communities impose on offences such as stealing in people's garden where the offender is regarded to have wronged the community in an effort to eradicate crime.

"Enhancing community policing structures is very vital," he says, adding that such structures, if enhanced, can play a significant role in tracking down law breakers.

The local leader's view point has excited Mwanza Police.

Station Officer In-charge Patricia Ntukumira believes Kanduku's observation is already reflected in the district's first quarter performance report that was presented by Mwanza Police Station to the district executive committee sometime in May this year.

Stakeholders such as religious and traditional leaders and community policing committees, among others, are key to achieving a crime free district, Kanduku points out.

"It is through this cordial relationship that people build trust in the police such that they easily give tips to the police each time they become suspicious of someone in their neighborhood," observes Ntukumira.

Mwanza Police Station together with two of its police formations, Tulonkhondo and Thambani in Traditional Authorities Kanduku and Govati respectively, have performed well.

In the first quarter of 2018, the two formations have satisfactorily reduced criminal practices in their catchment area.

During the first quarter (January-March) of 2017, 72 crimes were registered while in 2018 during the same period, there were 64 crimes representing a reduction rate of 11 percent.

Last year, seven defilement cases were registered but the figure has gone down to five this year. This represents a 28 percent decline.

Additionally, according to the report, no rape case was recorded between January and March this year compared to two such cases registered in 2017.

On road safety, three road accidents were recorded in the first quarter of 2017 without loss of life while in 2018 only one accident which was not fatal occurred.

Ntukumira, therefore, attributes the success to the cordial relationship between the police and other partners in the district.

"Frequent community sensitization meetings on consequences of committing crime conducted in various policing areas and visibility of uniformed police officers in remote areas and trading centers, are giving people a sense of safety," Ntukumira says.

The district's police chief says the presence of traffic police on M6 Road has kept road users in check particularly on over speeding.

Moses Walota, a businessman in the district, is of the view that continuation in enhancing tight security in the district can contribute to a better business environment.

"There is need to introduce joint security committees between the people of Mwanza and neighbouring Mozambique so that criminals that cross borders are easily tracked down," suggests Walota.

Traditional Authority (T/A) Govati believes that translating the country's constitution into Chichewa will make the communities understand the laws of the land easily and help to create law literacy and reduce crime.

"Communities should be able to know types of crime they can be charged with before they commit any offence," T/A Govati says.

On his part, Bishop Hudson Saulosi of Bible Gospel Church International based at Mwanza Boma says the church has a role in reducing crime by working closely with the police.

"Apart from reporting suspected criminals to police, church members are also advised to avoid committing crime because it hinders growth in development at all levels from household, church, community and the nation as a whole.

"The period spent by an inmate in prison will never be recovered and personal life is always affected," Saulosi observes.

According to Saulosi, church members' productive time is also spent on visiting their friends and relatives in prison to extend the coverage and spread of God's work.

The police in Mwanza is introducing new initiatives aimed at improving service delivery to communities towards crime reduction rate, according to the Officer-In-Charge Patricia Ntukumira.

She believes that with a continued good working relationship between community members and the police, crime rate will surely decrease in the district.

"With the help of other stakeholders such as community and traditional leaders, faith-based organizations and community policing groups among others, crime can be eradicated," Ntukumira says.

To this end, Patrick Binzi, a chairperson for community policing in the area of T/A Govati pledged continued support to the police.

"The decrease in crime is very impressive and the efforts need support from all stakeholders if peace is to reign in our neighborhoods," Binzi says.