Zambezi Police Regional Commander Commissioner Julia Sakuwa-Neo held her maiden engagement with the business sector on Tuesday.

The meeting was aimed at information sharing in order to find solutions to ongoing crime that targets their businesses. 

She, however, expressed disappointment with local business operators who, despite invitations, turned up in low numbers. 

Commissioner Sakuwa-Neo cited inadequate security, poor lighting and cash left overnight as some of the contributing factors to crime on business properties. 

"We have evidence that shows that most of these shops are broken into because they are not guarded at all. Surprisingly, how do you keep millions in a shop, yet you don't put a security guard or yet you don't put a CCTV camera that watches over that business?" 

The regional commander added that between the period of January 2025 and June 2026, 60 cases were reported of housebreaking with intent to steal on business properties, particularly in the CBD.

The community suggested that security measures such as installing CCTV cameras and security guards should be enforced by law and be punishable if not adhered to through fines and penalties, while others appealed to NamPol and NamRA to protect the local street vendors from illegal traders.  

"In actuality, what happens, or what sometimes happens, is that they will bring vegetables; they sell to our street vendors tomatoes and vegetables. When they are done, they go around in our locations and sell. Now you ask yourself a question: those ones that ordered from them, who will they sell to? If the same people that crossed illegally are now selling in the streets," stated Zambezi Region entrepreneur Ernest Sibungo.

In response, Commissioner Sakuwa-Neo said the police will intensify patrols and improve on answering calls timely. 

She also urged the community members to refrain from buying medication off the street. 

"There are some medications that are not allowed. You know, we go through all this open market and all the street vendors trying to confiscate some of those medications, but it is the same community; they will insult us. Yeah, these police are here, and sometimes when they see us patrolling, they hide them. And then later on they bring them, but you are aware that you are not supposed to buy any tablets on the streets because you will end up buying fakes."