Malawi police IG Jose says he’ll resign if Parliament finds him ‘incompetent’

Inspector General of the Malawi Police Service, Rodney Jose, has said he will resign as police chief if Parliament finds him to be “incompetent.”

Jose told a news conference held at Police national headquarters in Lilongwe on Monday following his letter ordering the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) to stop convening demonstrations in the country.

“There are calls for me to resign saying that I am incompetent and most of them are making reference to the letter as my admission of my failure,” said Jose.

“There are so many professional bodies and Public Appointments Committee who can do an assessment to see if I have failed to do my job.

“Let them do so and if they find me wanting, I am ready to resign,” he said.

Jose said he would not cling to his office, if Parliament finds him “incompetent.”

He said: “It won’t even take a minute before I resign if I am indeed found to be incompetent.”

Jose said his decision to send the  letter to HRDC chairperson Timothy Mtambo dated July 26 2019, to suspend the demonstrate  follows violent and criminal acts that have characterised recent protests.

Asked if he will engage the MEC chairperson to persuade her to resign, Jose said the reasons given for her to resign are more political in nature hence, the police doesn’t see merit in intervening in such matters.