Richard Chimwendo Banda, MP for Dowa East, has issued a blunt demand for more government cash to be pumped into Malawi's police force, warning that crumbling stations and officer housing are putting the country's security plans at risk.

He made the fiery call in Parliament as MPs debated government plans to create new police regions aimed at boosting operational efficiency, warning that police formations in areas like Luchenza and Kasungu are desperately short of basics -- from office space to housing for officers.

"Their budgets cannot be the same. We need to increase their budgets," he demanded.

The stark warning came as chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs, Gilbert Khonyongwa, presented a damning report exposing the shocking state of police infrastructure across the country.

Khonyongwa revealed that huge numbers of police stations and officers' houses were built "decades ago" and have now fallen into serious disrepair -- with staff shortages making matters even worse.

The committee is now demanding urgent action, calling for government, Parliament and local communities to join forces to fix Malawi's crumbling security infrastructure before the new police regions get off the ground.