21 Aug 2024

Residents of Matsiloje village in the North East district on Tuesday welcomed the groundbreaking ceremony of the long-awaited Matsiloje new police station with great pomp.

The police station is one of 28 police stations that the government of Botswana is undertaking under the turnkey procurement model across 27 villages nationwide.

Kgosi Solomon Segopa of Matsiloje relayed at the ceremony to launch the police station that the facility would not only increase police visibility in the area but would augment already stretched resources to wage war against rampant cross-border crimes, especially illegal mining of gold by some Zimbabweans, which has given residents sleepless nights.

“The construction of this police station comes in the nick of time when we have record numbers of illegal border jumping by some Zimbabweans, some of whom are involved in illicit mining and stealing of livestock in our area,” he said, calling on residents to reciprocate government’s effort by joining forces with law enforcement agencies to stem the tide.

Area councillor,  Ms Florence Mpetsane echoed Kgosi Segopa’s words, saying the construction of the police station, which at some point was supposed to be constructed during the National Development Plan 9, was spot on and a welcome gesture.

“I want to express my deep appreciation to the government for finally carrying out this important project in the transitional plan that will take us to NDP 12.

Although it may not be the big police station that we expected, it comes as a fully-fledged police station with all the necessary resources that will enable us to fight a winning war against crime,” she said.

 Her wish was for the project, expected to be completed in 18 months, so that the public could benefit from the services rendered. The project entails nine offices, seven police housing units, and two vehicles. ENDS