IG defends officers’ transfers

Inspector General (IG) of Police Lot Dzonzi has said officers must not feel victimised when they are being transferred from one station to the other because it is one way of making them become effective through learning new cultures in places they get posted to.

Dzonzi’s remarks come at a time when about 40 officers have been transfer listed, with some feeling that they have been deliberately targeted for reasons best known to their bosses.

Among those on transfer is Senior Deputy Commissioner of Police Peter Chasweka who was director of operations at the Police Headquarters in Lilongwe and is heading to Police College in Zomba as commandant.

Senior Deputy Commissioner of Police Mary Taita moves from the South to Area 30 where she will be service training officer while Senior Deputy Commissioner of Police George Kainja, who was at Police College in Zomba, will be Senior Deputy Commissioner for South.

Deputy National Police spokesperson Kelvin Maigwa moves from Area 30 to head Ndirande Police Post in Blantyre.

In an interview on Saturday, Dzonzi said every police officer from the rank of constable to commissioner is transferable.

“In the Malawi Police Service [MPS], there are only three ranks where officers cannot be moved. These ranks are the two Deputy Inspector Generals and the Inspector General. If you have reached these positions you know that your next destination is out of the MPS,” said Dzonzi.

He said while MPS recognises that there are officers who work in areas of specialisation, the underlying principle is that every officer belongs to the mother branch which is the general duties.

According to inside sources, some officers who were transfer listed over a year ago have not yet moved to their new stations due to, among other reasons, lack of vehicles and houses.