Police commissioner Chisale admits 2019 was tough for public order management
Malawi Police Service (MPS) acting Commissioner for Central Region Police, Evalista Chisale has described the year 2019 as challenging in the area of public order management, especially in the aftermath of the May 21 Tripartite Elections.
She said this Sunday during Central Region Police Headquarters 2019 Christmas Ball held at Crossroads Hotel in Lilongwe.
Chisale noted that the year started as normal one with no major incidents of public disorder within the region.
“The situation took a twist after two presidential contestants challenged the results of the May 21 Tripartite Elections. On several occasions, citizens who were gathered to conduct peaceful demonstrations turned violent, looted shops, pelted stones at motorists and robbed innocent Malawians of their valuable properties,” she explained.
The Acting Commissioner said Police Officers became their main target not because they had done anything wrong, but they were being regarded as a symbol of State Authority.
She pointed out that in the course of these attacks, one female Police Officer was stripped naked in public, several Officers sustained various degrees of injuries and a number of Police Units were attacked and burnt.
“Police Units that were completely burnt down included Njewa, Msundwe, Chitedze, Area 36 and Mvama in Area 49 which are all under Lilongwe. Another Police Unit was Nkhamenya in Kasungu. Roadblocks were not spared but completely demolished and these are Kaphatenga in Salima and Golomoti in Dedza,” Chisale recalled.
She said above all, a Senior Police Officer, Superintendent Ousmani Imedi was brutally murdered at Msundwe in line of duty.
The Acting Commissioner said despite some of the perceptions that some members of the community have against the Police and misunderstanding among them, the solution was not to burn down Police Units, formations which are critical in service delivery.
The Chairperson of the main Organizing Committee, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Benson Tawakali thanked cooperating partners for supporting the Central Region Police financially to in order to host the 2019 Christmas Ball.
He said the partners included Chinese community, Premier TAMA, Burundi Community, Mr. Yona Bishop Simama, Milare Stationeries, MA Motors, Mr. Malunga, Malawi Institute of Management (MIM), NASFAM and Kerlk Hardware.
During the event, a minute of silence was observed in honour of late Superintendent, Imedi and other others that have passed on during the course of the year.
Ntcheu Police Station was named Central Region best station in category A and B while Nkhunga Police Unit emerged outstanding in category C.
Kalonga Community Police Forum (CPF) of Salima was named the best CPF in the region.
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We should note that this is an article written by Gom, and published through MANA. Thus, there is no mention of how the police provoke disorder with the indiscriminate use of tear gas and firing live ammunition. There is no mention of the torturing to death of a prisoner (Lulu?), the death of Justin Phiri in custody owing to medical care being denied after he was beaten up by the authorities, the mass rape of 17 women by police at Msundwe, the rape of two underage girls in separate incidents by officers while being illegally detained, and so on.
The problem with u men in uniform is selective justice. U have been arresting pipo in opposition leaving out those in government. It takes yrs to build reputation and seconds to destroy it. Why have you not condemmed officers who raped innocent citizens.