The government’s community outreach program will help integrate gang members and reduce gang-related crimes, says Youth Minister Ahmed Mahloof. 

Speaking to RaajjeTV on Wednesday night, Minister Mahloof said that the criticism he has received for supporting dialogue with ‘criminals’ is unwarranted. 

Mahloof says that the meetings are intended to directly address the cause of gang-related crimes, and not to support them. 

The minister also said that the government neither intends to ‘work’ with any gangs, nor does it intend to have law enforcement ‘chase them with batons’.

In Wednesday’s interview, Minister Mahloof said that there needs to be more active steps taken to deter the young from entering gangs. 

Mahloof also said that while previous governments have used local gangs for their own benefit, and glorified them by taking photographs together, the current administration intends to ‘save’ gang members. 

The minister also noted that there has not been any murders since his administration to office, and said that the government intends to keep circumstances the same. 

Minister Mahloof’s attempts to address such crimes have been described as ‘empowering’ towards street gangs.