By MOFFAT CHAZINGWA –

THE police command on the Copperbelt has directed officers to desist from unsafe and illegal electricity connections to unauthorised structures particularly cabins dotted in most police camps in the province.
Copperbelt police chief Joyce Kasosa said illegal connections are rampant in almost all the police camps in the province because of the many cabins constructed by officers.
Ms Kasosa said this in Kitwe in a speech delivered for her by Copperbelt police senior human resources officer Peter Miselo at a Zesco sensistisation meeting for the police.
She noted with disappointment the growing trend by officers of making structural extensions in form of cabins to their houses within police camps, which in most cases are for sub-letting.
Ms Kasosa said some officers in a number of police camps had attained what she termed the status of ‘landlords’ and have been making extensions by constructing cabins which they are renting out.
Unfortunately, involved officers have been making unsafe illegal electricity connections to these cabins which is not within their line of duty.
“Officers are busy extending houses by constructing cabins which some are renting out and by so doing, they end up making illegal electricity connections because people renting would not what to stay in house without power.
“The extension of houses has to end because it is not in our line of duty and as police, we are supposed to be the custodians of law,” Ms Kasosa said.
The police command would soon be charting a way forward with regard to the already existing cabins around police camps in the province.
Zesco Copperbelt divisional manager Bright Kombe said the power utility was concerned with the increasing unsafe practices such as poor wiring and illegal connection of electricity which was prevalent in communities, including the police camps, which have led to loss of lives and property.
Mr Kombe said communities and the nation at large had been recording cases of electrocution because of increasing cases of unsafe connections to unauthorised structures.