Police officers getting military training: Malawi army not happy with DPP, fears another MYP

There is resentment in the barracks  of the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) following government decision to have the army take on board police officers into exclusive military courses that form part of the professional development of officers.

Nyasa Times is in possession a memo signed by Captain Malata, a staff officer at directorate of military training, to Malawi Armed Forces College informing them of the development which has been intercepted by disillusioned officers.

The police officers joing the military training are Supritendant Usamani Imedi from PMF  and Supt P.Phiri. Others are Inspector Chatuluka and Inspector Vuto.

The soldiers fear the plans are  set to  create a new paramilitary youth group that will be operating like the notorious Malawi Young Pioneers (MYP) under Kamuzu Banda which was disbanded and the army disarmed them.

Soldiers are irked that police officers should be drilled in pure military programs.

“These courses are platoon commanders and company commanders which are crucial courses in the military that prepare officers to lead  a platoon or company of soldiers into battle,” Nyasa Times sources in the army said.

It is not clear why authorities want the police to participate in these purely combat courses and the development has made many officers furious who feel MDF will be severely undermined with the development.

The soldiers and officers are helpless as they know that the MDF commander, General Ignasio Maulana cannot do anything with the aim of saving his job.

Police and MDF officers do carry out joint exercises for internal security operations. They have even done joint training on some general issues like leadership or  logistics with the support of the British or American advisers but they have never crossed this line.

Some are seeing this as an attempt by the DPP Government to infiltrate the military and weaken it.

Soldiers told Nyasa Times that there are many issues that have rocked MDF during like the reduction of soldiers allowances in peacekeeping missions from $1028 to $900 (when govt already gets millions from equipment reimbursements) at a time when soldiers are involved in combat operations in DRC where several have died.