Incomplete Malaba houses are criminal hideouts, say police

Police want the leadership of Malaba municipality to compel residents who have failed to complete houses they were building to either finish constructing the structures or demolish them.

In focus are building which have taken years to be completed.

Malaba OC Crime Stephen Roktok said some of the abandoned structures have turned out to be hiding places for criminals.

Roktok said police will remain vigilant to ensure criminality is fought against in order to secure lives and property in Malaba municipality.

“There are houses within Malaba municipality which were developed but were abandoned,” he said.

“These are hiding places for criminals because these are areas where they hide as they plan to cause disorder.”

Roktok spoke on Thursday in Malaba town during a public participation meeting where residents of the municipality shared their priority areas for development.

Residents had raised concern that even with proposed development plans for the municipality, without proper security, the investments would negatively be affected.

But Roktok said cops will closely be working with members of the public to secure the municipality.

“If we want to move towards taming insecurity, we must condemn these buildings,” he said.

“Let us be firm and say those people who built houses and failed to complete them should be compelled to finish the structures and if they are unable, then let them demolish so that we avoid creating hideouts for criminals,” Roktok said.

He said narrow roads within the municipality have been a challenge in fighting insecurity since the roads hamper fast movement of police in response to insecurity incidents.

“For sure, we have a challenge when we get reports on insecurity. We sometime drive only to reach areas where our vehicles can’t move. Sometime it forces officers to alight from vehicles and walk and pass through people’s gardens,” Roktok said.

“Let us open these feeder roads so that it can ease our movement as security officers.”

Roktok also said a volleyball tournament between police and local teams will be unveiled to boost the relationship between cops and members of the public.

Malaba municipality acting manager Brian Abwaku said the management of the municipality will convene a meeting in which owners of abandoned buildings will be required to give a highlight on the abandoned investments before any action can be taken.

Malaba municipality covers 129 square kilometers.

It brings together the wards of Malaba North represented at the county assembly by Patrick Omanyala, Malaba Central under Ronald Ochalu, Boniface Ekada’s Malaba South and Amukura West led by Boniface Erute.        BY THE STAR