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Pool game ban right step but...
2006-07-24 09:01:20
By Editor
The Inspector General of Police Said Mwema last week banned a popular indoor game known as pool, during working hours.
Announcing the ban, the IGP blamed people playing pool during the day, saying idlers and robbers had found a place to plan their assaults.
He therefore ordered bars to stop conducting this business and adhere to after-office -hours option, except for weekends and public holidays.
We think the IGP has a point and we would like to support him for issuing the order.
We believe that people should take up serious jobs, instead of wasting valuable time playing a less serious game and expecting to earn a living.
Many youths have fought among themselves over unpaid dues, after winning a game but failing to get their ’reward’ from those who lost.
However, we also think that the police made a haste move at the weekend, by arresting pool game owners and players.
This paper received many calls from people complaining about ’arbitrary arrests’ following the abrupt ban and we believe the public too, has a point.
While the media did their best to inform the public about the IGP’s order, not all pool owners and players received the information in time. Thus any arrest made, might have come as a surprise to the ’victims’.
We therefore call the police to extend their ultimatum and give stake holders in the game some time to adjust to the new regulation.
A ’grace period’ of at least three days could do.
What’s more, we think that after banning ’idlers’ from using bars, the police should perhaps remove the same people from the infamous vijiwe, which we believe are also used as rendez vous for gangsters.
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