UNIMA Donates Security Items to Community Policing Members

The University of Malawi (UNIMA) has donated items worth MK2.1 million to community policing members from areas surrounding the Chirunga campus as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance the safety of its students and neighbouring communities.

The donation was made on 20th November, 2025, during the opening ceremony of a two-day training organised by the University’s Security Section in collaboration with the Malawi Police Service in Zomba. 

The training, which is underway at the Zomba Police Training College, aims to equip community policing members with skills in handling suspects, as well as techniques for self-defence while on duty.

The donated items, which include reflectors, torchlights, and whistles, were presented to community policing members who play a vital role in maintaining security around the University.

Speaking during the event, Senior Superintendent Seleman Mtambo, Station Officer for Zomba Police Station, commended the participants for their dedication and continued support to both the police and the University. He described the training as an important step in reinforcing security in the surrounding areas and encouraged police officers to work closely with community policing groups.

Assistant Registrar (Student Welfare), Mr. Kumvenji Lamba, highlighted the importance of the partnership.

“At UNIMA, we have more than 13,000 students, and most of them reside in areas such as Chikanda, Thom Allan, Matawale, and Sogoja, where security challenges used to be common. There were issues of theft, where students could be robbed of their personal belongings in these areas,” he said.

He further explained that as the student population grew, the police became overstretched, prompting the University to collaborate with local communities to establish community policing groups.

Mr. Lamba added that since the introduction of community policing three years ago, there has been a drastic reduction in theft cases reported by students. The donation and training, he said, are part of the University’s commitment to supporting its security partners.

One of the participants, Mr. Ernest Kazembe, Chairperson of the Chinamwali Community Policing group, expressed gratitude for the donation, saying the support motivates them to continue working closely with UNIMA and the police to ensure the safety of students and the wider community.