Police in Mangochi district have arrested eight men who blocked Njereza earth road with huge stones to prevent trucks from Njereza Cement Products from moving in and out of the factory.
The road leading to the said factory passes through Kela and Matuwi villages.
According to Mangochi Police Station Publicist Amina Tepani Daudi, the owner of the factory Akbar Aslam Gaffar, on August 16, 2021, reported that a team led by Group Village Headman Kela’s son Itendo Kazembe, 32, mobilized themselves fetched trees and blocked the road to the factory consequently halting business for five hours and made the road impassable to other road users.
Daudi added that the matter was reported at Mangochi Police Station where officers rushed to the scene, cleared the road and arrested the suspects.
“This is the third time for the villagers to block the road. In June this year the villagers presented their petition to the District Commissioner complaining about nuisance dust produced by the trucks, placing of Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) electric poles in the villagers’ fields and extension of the road when grading,” said Daudi.
She added that people from the said villages have been demanding some unspecified compensation from the company such that the matter had been presided over by the DC.
The Publicist went on to say that the villagers’ grievances were addressed and they were told to stay away from the site that produces cement but yesterday they went blocked the road.
All suspects will appear before court to answer the charge of Conduct like to cause a breach of peace which contravenes section 181 of the Penal Code.
They hail from the area of Traditional Authority Mponda in Mangochi.
