Mutharika buys ammunition at K200m for Malawi security organs
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government of President Peter Mutharika, which came to power after the May 20 2014 disputed elections, has secretly bought one million rounds of ammunition for its security organs from South Africa worthy roughly R5 million (MK200 million).
Malawi is currently facing no external or internal military threats, according to a country threat report by Defence web.
“Poverty, crime and HIV/AIDS are considered to be the country’s most serious threats to security,” it said.
South Africa’s National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCAC) recent report to the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa contains Malawi’s ammos purchase of R4,836,770 among other exports to more than 25 countries worldwide.
The report, which covers the period April1st to 30th June 2014, does not specify whether the ammos were for the ill-equipped Malawi Defence Force (MDF), Malawi Police Service or the Malawi Prison Service.
The South Africa’s opposition, Democratic Alliance has since asked NCAC to “avoid transfers of conventional arms to governments that systematically violate or suppress human rights and fundamental freedoms”.
The 2013 Malawi Human Right Commission report states that although authorities maintained control over security force, however, they committed some human rights abuses.
MHRC noted that in some cases, the government took steps to prosecute officials who committed abuses, but impunity remained a problem.
“Police arbitrarily shot and killed suspects. Police occasionally called on the military for support in operating roadblocks and assistance in manhunts,” it said.
Mutharika in his inaugural address to Parliament in July this year, despite finger counting Malawi’s security challenges hinted the need to equip the country’s security institutions.
“Government will establish a National Security Council which will provide oversight on matters of national security. We will also allow the Malawi Police Service and the Malawi Defence Force execute their mandates without political interference,” he said.
Mutharika said his government will enhance the capacity and professional competences of its security institutions to enable them respond adequately to the security needs of the country.
“Sometimes they are incapacitated to perform their duties effectively and efficiently due to resource constraints,” he noted.
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Security organs are emergency institutions. So, it’s very much in order to equip them before occurrences which call for urgent response. In fact, it’s improper for one to bring in an issue of contrast between drugs and ammunition. Surely security and health are equally vital…
And in a bid to fight robberies which are often accompanied by deadly violence there’s a need to equip the police formations with atleast “five” vehicles for easy mobility of police officers…
Oh yes – we don’t want another cashgate so that modern security equipment can also be procured.
Keep it up, Mr President.
kkkkk akulu akulu mufuna chani kwenikweni?now let me tell u mukakhala ndi black mind ndi asilikali apolis nde muvutika.
Koma munthu ndi munthu basi! Zilizonse ayi asagule? Anagula benz MK60m ayi mukadagula ichi. Kodi kupanda zida zogwilila ntchito mchimodzimodzi kungopemphatu kuti asilikali onse achotsedwe ntchito nanga adzitani?
APM, mmalo moonjezera ndalamazo ku Fertilizer subsidy inu mukugula zida? mukumuopa ndani, Kikwete? Nyanjatu idapita Kale musabvutikenso ndikukonzekera za zimenezo ayi. Kodi a Petulo, sipaja in munkati nkhani ya Nyanja ya nyasa ndiyapafupi, nanga lero mukuti chani? mwangoti ndwii basi? Prezidenti wabodza ngati uyu sindinamuonenso ayi ndiyekhayu basi Pitala. Nkhopeyo ndiyetu eeeee’
Mutharika has done it well since we need stiff security in our country.Those who are criticising are savegies.
Some people they were born just to oppose.
Well done APM thats a good gesture
Is this the face of the president of a country?
How does your face look as a citizen of a country?
Kodi A Mtika wa ndi Malawian? When shall Malawians be patriotic? You insinuate that buying ammunition is wrong for Malawi. You have very strange thinking. You demonstrate superficiality in your thinking and partisanship has obsured your reasoning. You think of negative reporting all the time. This is necessary if malawi police are to confront internal insecurity from rampant roberies. Do you see how police in these so called developed countries handle armed roberies. Dont you see how armed robbers have capitalized on the attitudes of people like you. If government declares shoot to kill you will complain and yet you… Read more »
You forgot you and your DPP thugs party condemned JB for buying the same equipment.
ZINA kumabisako mpaka TANZANIA idziwe? lol nyanja ija alandadi…inu tamangokambani za tobako zomwezi..etc.kukwiyaku bwanji? ntola nkhani iwe ndiwe wa ku Nyika rep. kapena?…kkkkk…udikire ikagwira uzikalembera kwanu konko zimenezo.