Mutharika strives to maintain power: Shake-up in Malawi police

President Peter Mutharika has taken several drastic measures including the recent shake-up up in the Police  in what political analysts describe as  a strategy aimed at putting certain officers in strategic positions as he strives to maintain power.

Mutharika: Show of power

As he is about to name his new Cabinet – expected to be bloated from the lean team of 20 –  appointing the country’s  new defence force commander, defying the court and parliamentary recommendations to scrap the discredited Malawi Electoral Commission and withholding his assent to legislation to reform electoral laws before the next poll – there has also been transfers of senior cops.

A political scientist Mustafa Hussein of University of Malawi’s Chancellor College has said Mutharika is in a show of power, saying he is “flexing his muscles to show that he is still in charge and that he is President of the country.”

National Police spokesperson James Kadadzera  has said the transfers ordered by acting Inspector General of Police Duncan Mwapasa which  affects Officers-In-Charge; Station Officers  and others in departments such as the confidential registry are a normal routine.

“Management has seen it important that these officers be transferred to other places because this will also help them in their process of expanding their career since they will be working with various officers,” he said.

But Professor Happy Kayuni, head of the political science and administration department at the University of Malawi, finds it strange coincidence that the changes are  happening at the same time,  particularly sinister that Mutharika fired the Malawi Defence Force commander General Vincent Nundwe and replaced him with former air force General Peter Namathanga.

He said that under Nudwe — who was appointed only nine months ago — the army had played a pivotal role in calming the protests that followed the elections last May when demonstrators hit the streets complaining that the election had been stolen.

Kayuni said the police had been unable to maintain peace on the streets and had sided with “hooligans” of the ruling party who attacked demonstrators. The army had stepped in and by behaving impartially had restored calm, he said.

He pointed out that the military had also protected the judges who had been presiding over the court cases which flowed from the elections.

“Mutharika is trying to reverse the democratic gains made in Malawi over the past few months,” he said, alluding also to Mutharika’s other decisions — to reject the decision that he should fire the electoral commission and also the proposed electoral law reforms.

“He’s taking a very dangerous course. People are already frustrated by the delays after the court ruling that elections must be held within 150 days. Now people are likely to be even more frustrated.”

Fresh presidential elections were called last month after a court ruled that the polls were marred by irregularities.

The nullification of the election followed complaints by opposition leaders Lazarus Chakwera of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and Saulos Chilima of the UTM Party that the polls were rigged. MCP and UTM together with other five parties have forged a grand coalition.

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Old timers
Old timers
4 years ago

Why are we still arguing about politics, fellow Malawians it’s time to talk about corona virus,it is a deadly disease, let’s propose to the government, what can be done with this epidemic virus before it’s too late

Mike Bamusi
Mike Bamusi
4 years ago

Uyu ndiwofunika kumuwonetsa, anawona, savimbi, kapena kabil basi.he is growing balls

Rhiz De'souza
Rhiz De'souza
4 years ago

Sometimes i wonder when will constutions of Malawi will work on APM, because it seems all laws in Malawi are for opposition and HRDC, but anything APM does it seems he breaks the law but if we think deeply we gonna discover that the DPP party has also a right, the HRDC is doing i think its for only opposition parties

Munthu
Munthu
4 years ago

The majority of Malawians are fed up with the dictatorial style of leadership and the arrogance displayed by APM. The majority of his supporters refuse to acknowledge his incompetence because they are beneficiaries of his corruption.
Things will not end well for DPP!

Theu
Theu
4 years ago

Good move by APM. Anyone who can’t serve government should be purged.

Malawi belong to the citizens

Peter Munthalika the new dictator of malawi.kunali anzanu mapresident amapanga zomwe mukupangazo Koma anazisiya ndidzachabechabe.Resign Peter Munthalika resign mwakula.

Jhchirrachi
Jhchirrachi
4 years ago

Do you mean that peter knows the laws than any other Judge in Malawi Court? I see the reason why he is now clashing each point made by the Constcourt. You mean Malawi Supreme Court Judges fear Southern Lawyers After all these are just lawyers looking for interpretation which they know it already that the elections were Massively Rigged by peter arther.

Nkhoma
Nkhoma
4 years ago
Reply to  Jhchirrachi

Malawi judges are inferior to APM who was educated and taught Law in the USA. You just need to look at Concourt judgement to see this. Courts always avoid making rulings that depend on political processes because it is an arena they cannot control. Concourt judgement was flawed because as you have seen, parliament failed to get 2/3 majority to change the constitution as per that ruling. Having failed, Parliament foolishly and illegally changed an Act which means there is now a conflict between the Constitution and the Act. Not only is there precedence from elections run since 1994 -2019,… Read more »

Chitolerapapo
Chitolerapapo
4 years ago

He said enough is enough, honey moon is over for everybody who fights DPP. Mr Kayuni there is nothing good about DPP that can come from your stinking mouth. Idiot

Bondo
Bondo
4 years ago
Reply to  Chitolerapapo

if there is nothing good being done, there is nothing to be said

BigMan
BigMan
4 years ago

Just another almost 90 years old useless way past his sell by date African leader forcing himself on a nation that has rejected his nuisance.

Mtete
Mtete
4 years ago

Let him shake the cabinet, the army, the DPP regional governors and the police by all means. What he cannot shake, though, is Malawians. They are determined to boot him out regardless.

Mangochi Kabwafu
Mangochi Kabwafu
4 years ago
Reply to  Mtete

Can’t agree more.

Nate
Nate
4 years ago
Reply to  Mtete

You should say you are. Not all of us. We see APM as a Democrat.

Malume
4 years ago
Reply to  Nate

Nyapako

Mwini muzi.
Mwini muzi.
4 years ago
Reply to  Malume

Kutha logic!

The Aristocrat
The Aristocrat
4 years ago
Reply to  Nate

Democrat my ass

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