LILONGWE--Malawi Police on Monday clashed with angry traders who took to the streets demonstrating against crime at Namitete Trading Center in the capital Lilongwe.

Police fired teargas to disperse the traders who say there are many cases of crime despite having a police unit and a police road block just nearby.

A trader told MaraPost “we had a meeting with the police on this concern sometimes back but it was fruitless because despite their assurance that security would improve, there's been no progress.

"We keep on complaining day in, day out. We decided to demonstrate today in order to send our message loud and clear to relevant authorities to come to our rescue.”

Meanwhile, the traders are demanding the closure of the police unit within 48 hours, saying it's useless. If the unit remains open, they will take action but the traders didn't specify the type of action they intend to take.

Since Pres Joyce Banda took over the reins of power in April after the sudden death of Pres Bingu wa Mutharika, there's been an increase in cases of robberies and homicide in Malawi. And the issue of insecurity has since become become political. While opposition figures have accused the Banda administration of failing to deal with the situation, government says it's the opposition which is behind it to undermine the new government.

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©2012 The Maravi Post. Reproduction without acknowledgment prohibited.

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