Maputo — All the policemen stationed in the Muxungue administrative post, in the central Mozambican province of Sofala, including the local commander, have been transferred because of their ineffectiveness, according to a report in Monday’s issue of the Maputo daily “Noticias”.

The transfers are at the request of the Muxungue residents, who complained that the police were not doing their job and were in league with criminals. They pointed in particular to the release of men described as “bandits” from the police cells.

The head of the Sofala provincial police press office, Mateus Mazive, confirmed that the commander and his subordinates had all been moved, but denied it had anything to do with collaboration with criminals.

He said the Muxungue police were regarded as inefficient and so they were all being replaced. He did not say exactly how many policemen had been transferred.

Police have been moved to Muxungue from elsewhere in Sofala, and Mazive said the situation was now “normalized”.

The policemen now working in Muxungue were working to guarantee police-community liaison, which Mazive described as key to maintaining public order, security and tranquility.