Minister Chiumia under fire for directing traffic in Lilongwe

January 13, 2017 Owen Khamula - Nyasa Times 37 Comments

Home Affairs and Internal Security minister Grace Chiumia has come under intense fire for directing traffic in the Capital, Lilongwe on Wednesday.

Minister Chiumia took the role of traffic officer

Reports indicate that she disembarked from her official vehicle and started directing the traffic at several points where there were no traffic police officers.

There is usually meandering traffic in some points in the capital during peak hours, especially the stretch between National Bank Old Town and Lilongwe Bridge near Lilongwe market.

Chiumia’s actions have however received mixed reactions on social media with most comments saying she lacks legal mandate to do so.

One comment was sarcastic: “Being a minister of Home Affairs does not mean she is a police woman.”

Police refused to comment on the matter, saying they are yet to get details.

Chiumia recently hit headlines when she allegedly threatened some civil society leaders in Karonga that she would have them arrested for refusing to have a refugee camp.

She denied having issued the threats.

Chiumia is the youngest minister in President Peter Mutharika’s 20 member cabinet and deputy secretary general of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party.

 

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37 replies on “Minister Chiumia under fire for directing traffic in Lilongwe”

  1. Sanalakwe mayiyu. pemenepo wawonesa seriousness ya ntchito yake. if pita can respond to us like ha. dziko likanasintha ili

  2. If onyamula masamba pamene tupita kumanda amayikwanitsa, magalimoto nkumaima,what more wth Obama?shz educated an has a valid drving licence she knows za pa nseu.nde muti shiyaani?kk

  3. Ngati adayambako kukhala wapolice….. but is she qualified to do so…if not why did the president gave her that job….am 1,000percent sure kuti akuyenera kutero in times of emergency…ngati adkhalako wapolice…that also tells us kuti iteyo sakuwapatsa pressure apolice maka maka Kachama He must be under fire not Politics here..

  4. Not the best thing to do. Her safety and security was at stake. On the other hand, her actions were in good faith and she shouldn’t be condemned for that.

  6. there isn’t any matter here unless I beg to learn that she committed a crime by doing such a job well done.
    this indeed mediocricy at its level, foolish and hypocrites of the journalists

  7. even here in Lilongwe at Chiwoko primary school you will always find kids controlling traffic and motorists do obey, then what is wrong here. Mama Obama keep it up coz you know our roads that they need some controls

  9. cant see any probem.her action prevented axidents which wud have happened.kapena pachitika ngozi coz of her action?Nil! it means she is competent!av seen untrained people giving first aid to road traffic accidents victims, are they paramedics/nurses/ doctors.bwanji simmawanena?

  11. Security was a needful here. If she could just pass without showing any concern of what was happening the same mouths would have talk the opposite. Don’t mind them.

  13. when im travelling from mgabu to BT i found girls busy stoping vehicles and let their fellow boys and girls close the load to school, should we say are those police officers?

  14. She was trying to be exemplary and you have started throwing words on her. Is a clear indication that that there were no traffic or limited staff to cope with workload. Good job anyachiumia. Mundanangepo kanthu yayi apo. Let them do the talking. Bavukenge bekha.

    1. Vinyake tichitengeko soni chtumbuka tikwizapo wuli apa? Nyengo zinyakhe vinthu tikuvinanga tekha. This minister did a good job fullstop. She didn’t expect a bribe for doing this. Some officers don’t like these spots because sapezapo kanthu

  16. Well done madam minister ,apa pokha kwa ine I don’t see any problem keep it up.a police amapanga dala kuti ena (driver) akalakwisa amulipilise .month end order your police commissioner(centre) to inspect his traffic police officers adzazionere okha mmene a traffic police amatithyola khobwe kwambiri.

  17. INU AMALAWI MUNAKHALA BWANJI ? MUNTHU AKATI APANGE ICHI MULI NAYE WATANI MAI UYU KWA INE SINDIKUONA APO CHIMO LOMWE ANAPANGA . NDIPO MENE INE NDIKUONERA ANATHANDIZA WANTHU PATSIKULO NGOZI SIZINATCHITIKE. ZIKOMO AMALAWI.

  20. very stupid minister,she is a nurse by proffesional osapita ku bwaila bwanji kukathandiza odwala? Tinanena ife kut cabinet iyi yachuluka agalu osatha vepi kma mkakana.peter my dear president remove these ministers ,they r seven of them

  21. The same if the the bridge has been washed away, can’t someone direct/stop vehicles from falling into the broken bridge? Should you wait for police?

  23. Kulowerela ntchito ya eniake kumeneko! is she a police woman?osayimba phonics kwa IG kuti. pakutipakuti pakufunika a traffic bwa? ‘

  24. Let us not read too much into this. Minister Chiumia just did what good citizens should do when there is need and I do not see any problem. This is the attitude we need to have to change our country…going beyond the call of duty. Congrats Malawi’s own Obama.

  26. Malawians mesmerise me on how they reflect on pertinent issues. I happened to have passed through one of the road intersections and found the Hon. Minister assisting in directing traffic and appreciated it very much. If we have to wait for only those that have the legal mandates to come in then we are a sick people. We will see people destroying the country and just look aside because we don’t have the legal mandate to come in.

  28. empty piece of bushit I was there at the road from capital hill she did a great job their was congestion and she helped a lot and we passed so which fire is this stupid journalism

  29. anyone can direct traffic.thanks for your time madam just check your security next time you assist like this

  30. Zopusa iyi nkhani ndiya maizegate,cashgate.Zopanda phindu.Pa msewupo pachitika ngozi ngati?Ife tikufuna zoona zenizeni pa nkhani yandalama zanthu za tax.

  31. I don’t think this can be a problem, if you are interested you can do that on your time to help police for the love of your country as long as you have a reflector.
    eg: if you see some people stilling, why do we catch them instead of waiting for the police to do their job?

  33. It is true she don’t have the legal mandate to start regulating motor vehicles in the roads of Malawi. She is not a police officer.

    1. Its her ministry, they report to her. She got the authority in the ministry even though she is not a trained police officer. Good example.

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