Malawi police IG Jose confirmation debate Wednesday in parliament

Acting Inspector General of Malawi police, Rodney Jose,  will know his fate on Wednesday on whether he is to be the country’s top cop or not.

A government notice says legislators will debate the eligibility of Jose on whether to be the police chief or not amid reports that the opposition are set to shoot down the appointment.

Leader of the House, Kondwani Nankhumwa confirmed the issue is to be tabled in 193 strong House on Wednesday.

However, some opposition parliamentarians Nyasa Times have spoken to say the appointment of Jose is miscellaneous because an inquiry into the death of student activist Robert Chasowa named the acting IG as one of the people who might have known or may have taken part in the killing of the Polytechnic student.

President Peter Mutharika has refused to bow down to civil society activists demand to remove him from office until a full trial on the murder of Chasowa is carried out.

Jose oversaw the anarchy that characterised the opening of the current budget seating of parliament when a journalist was mercilessly beaten up by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) cadets who also harassed those deemed to be members of the Chilima movement right away at Parliament building in full view of the police.

The President of the Law Society of Malawi Alfred Majamanda said it would be interesting to see parliament confirming an acting inspector general of police when the Republican constitution does not provide for such.

“I an sure this would spark debate. Section 154 of the Republican Constitution allows the President to appoint an inspector general of police who should be confirmed by parliament. It does not say he should appoint an acting IG,” said Majamanda.

If rejected, Jose would be the second after Mary Nangwale in 2004 when Mutharika’s elder brother, Bingu, was in power.

The development comes at a time when at least 53 graduate cops  have petitioned acting IG to clear inconsistencies in their salaries and ranks.

The aggrieved police officers, in the ranks of inspectors and below, want MPS management to normalise the discrepancies between their graded salaries and ranks and also to be paid salary arrears backdated to July 1 2017.

In a letter written through their lawyer Gift Nankhuni, the officers—who are holders of first and honours degrees from various universities—are querying their boss on why they still hold their junior ranks while receiving salaries of Grades I and H, respectively.

The aggrieved police officers, in the ranks of inspectors and below, want MPS management to normalise the discrepancies between their graded salaries and ranks and also to be paid salary arrears backdated to July 1 2017.

In a letter written through their lawyer Gift Nankhuni, the officers—who are holders of first and honours degrees from various universities—are querying the police chief on why they still hold their junior ranks while receiving salaries of Grades I and H, respectively.

 

 

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