Parliament confirms Mukhito as new police chief
Parliament on Friday approved the appointment of Peter Mukhito to the office of Inspector General of the Malawi Police Service.
Mukhito who was Presidential Guard Commander was appointed by President Bingu wa Mutharika to filling the position that has been vacant since February this year following the redeployment of Oliver Kubambe who has questioned the abuse of police resources by ruling DPP.
Home Affairs Minister, Aaron Sangala moved a motion in the National Assembly asking the House to confirm the appointment of Mukhito.
Contributing to the motion, UDF deputy leader in parliament Atupele Muluzi said he welcomed the appointment and wished Mukhito “well” in his post as chief of the Police service.
MCP Chief Whip, Joseph Njobvuyalema a former policeman also supported the motion but asked the President to refrain from appointing “homeboys” to influential position.
Mukhito is from Thyolo where the President comes from and head of Intelligence, Clement Kapalamula also comes from the President’s home.
But Mwanza central parliamentarian Nicholas Dausi said during the reign of Kamuzu Banda who was from central region, the Inspector General late Mac William Lunguzi also hailed from the centre.
Leader of Government in the House, Goodall Gondwe played down the remarks that President Mutharika is appointing more people from his Lhomwe home into top positions.
Gondwe said the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) General Marko Chidziko is from central region and Reserve Bank of Malawi Governor Victor Mbewe also comes from the centre.
But some lawmakers were murmuring that the whole grain marketing Admarc top brass has Thyolo people starting with the General Manager Charles Matabwa and the top management including the Auction Holdings Limited has been infested by members of Mulakho wa Alhomwe the clan of President Mutharika.
In his contribution, Aford’s only parliamentarian, Khwauli Msiska while welcoming the appointment said the President despite having the prerogative to hire should give explanations when he appoints someone and fires.
Until his appointment, Mukhito was Commissioner of Police.
Tagged with: Aaaron Sangala, Atupele Muluzi, Bingu, Inspector General, parliament, Peter Mukhito, Police
Congrats to Mr. Peter Mkhito for being confirmed as the new police chief. But we want Mr. Peter Mkhito to urgently address the the following issues:
1. He should revive the police association which was abolished by the former Inspector General Mr. Patrick Chikapa so that police officers’s concerns are aired freely for attention of management. Currently police officers across the country have numerous concerns and grievances regarding the general police work, welfare and conditions of service but they do not know where to take them to.
2. The new Inspector general is urged to fight corruption on ORT funds so rampant particularly at police headquarters. The finance branch dubiously spends the money without the approval of IPC and Finance Committee. The finance committee and IPC stopped meeting in September 2008 and all this period the Finance branch has been spending money without the endorsement of the Finance Committee or IPC. We are therefore appealing to the new Inspector General to ensure that these two institutions (IPC and Finance Committee) are highly empowered so that funds are equitably allocated to all the planned activities. In the same vain I am also appealing to the new Inspector General that Headquarters Stores should stop procuring goods and services. The stores duty is to keep procured goods. We have a special procurement unit at police Headquarters, which is charged with the responsibility of all procurement issues. It seems the finance branch is deliberately paralyzing this unit so that it is ineffective with a view of siphoning money. This is very unfortunate.
3. I also would like to request the new Inspector General that fuel is dubiously procured and there is poor management of fuel at Police headquarters. Alot of personal cars do refuel at the police fuel pumps dubiously. The transport manager is not effective enough to ensure that fuel is properly managed. I am therefore appealing to the Inspector General to ensure that there is high transparency in the way fuel is procured from the filling stations and at the police pumps. The IPC should be involved in the procurement of fuel.
4. The new Inspector General should be aware that people have not been promoted on merit. I am therefore appealing to the new Inspector General of Police to re-introduce promotional interviews. People should be promoted after having attended and successfully passed the interviews. But the promotional interviews stopped sometime back. I do not know what criteria do management and the Police Service Commission use to consider somebody for promotion in the absence of promotional interviews? It’s food for thought for both management and the Police Service Commission.
Finally I would like to say that the police have higher expectations of the new Inspector general to reform the Malawi Service completely. I urge the IGP to fight corruption which is at peak especially at police headquarters. I also urge the new IGP to revive the Police Association as stipulated in the Police Act. Those who put this clause in the Police Act had sufficient reasons for doing so. Management should therefore not be seen to block the execution of this clause. Management may think that things out there are moving smoothly but they will be shocked if is the association is revived to hear the numerous challenges that the police officers on the ground do face time and again in the performance of their duties. I am therefore appealing to the new Inspector General to let reform program take its course by reviving the police association.
Amen!
Congrats Mr. Peter mkhito
if the IG delivers on malawi security problem thus what all need. All regions tested the position. The position need someone close and trust. But in democracy sometimes people like kukokera mbali yawo.
Point of correction.the new IG is not from thyolo,he is from chiladzulu.olo atakhala wa ku thyolo bvuto ndi chani?why didnt ye question about ministers,thyolo voted for bingu but it have got only 2 ministers,ndithawi yawo after all thyolo is in malawi and the people who are appointed are malawians.
ana a muna….you sound very LOMWEISH, no wonder your positive/uncritical comments.
Wati bvuto ndi chanii?
Can’t you see that if all high profile and sensitive government appointments are reserved for the LOMWE dynasty, then there is BVUTO on the part of the president???
Grow up and be counted as an upright/sane Malawian you idiot!!!