Senior cop Medi tipped to head Malawi Immigration Dept

Deputy Commissioner of Police Masauko Medi is tipped to be appointed new Chief Immigration Officer, a top government source said, adding that Immigration officers are not amused with the choice.

Medi would replace Dr Hadson Mankhwala who was booted out and assigned to the Ministry of Home affairs as technical advisor responsible for refugees.

Medi is being favoured ahead of acting Immigration chief Chrispine Sibande Banda.

“At first Office of President and Cabinet (OPC) wrote Sibande an appointment letter but Minister of Home Affairs Paul Chibingu and Peter Mkhitho (State House chief of staff) are the ones who have influenced the change favouring Medi,” said the source.

Medi is said to be a close ally of Mukhito, who was once Police chief.

The new immigration chief will have a task of ending shortage of consumables which has paralyzed the Immigration Department as it has reduced the number of passports it is printing to 4 passports from 700 per day.

The reduction comes at a time the department increased passport application fees from K15 100 to K48 500.