By SYLVESTER MWALE –
RESIDENTS of Lusaka have expressed concern at the increasing insecurity in the capital city and called on the police to increase patrols to stop attacks on innocent people.
Criminals have for a long time been waylaying and attacking people at fly over bridges in the capital city with limited efforts by the police to stop the crime.
Last week Times of Zambia reporter James Kunda was attacked at the fly over bridge on the Great East Road where the assailants went away with his cell phone and wallet.
“It is a shame that this has been going on for a long time and the police are just watching. As far as am concerned, it is not difficult to stop this nonsense; it is only that the police are not interested,” said Matilda Banda, a resident of Villa Elizabetha.
Ms Banda accused the police of concentrating their efforts on cases where there were chances of them being bribed by offenders.
“Look at the effort that goes to mini buses; they are always on the road but people are being attacked without any serious intervention from the police,” she said.
Joseph Malembeka another resident said the fly over bridges on the Great East Road and Church Road had been a den for criminals for a long time.
“But what is shocking is that no solution has been found and yet people are being attacked every day. We need to have serious measures from the police, if it means camping there to see who is attacked let them do that,” he said.
Mr Malembeka said there was need for officers to increase patrol especially with the darkness that had come with the increased load-shedding.
Assistant police spokesperson Esther Katongo said officers were currently conducting day and night patrols in the areas following persistent reports of attacks by criminals.
“We have received persistent reports of people being attacked and it is not only on foot bridges, even in other areas in town like at Simoson.
“Therefore, we have officers that are currently patrolling the areas although we have a challenge because it is not possible to station the officers at one point.
Ms Katongo also urged members of the public to be security cautious by not moving alone during awkward hours.