IG shakes up police service

Inspector General (IG) of Police Lesten Kachama has effected transfers, redeployments and promotions within the hierarchy of the Malawi Police Service (MPS).

There are about 14 changes involving senior officers in the shakeup that has seen National Police spokesperson Rhoda Manjolo being posted to Ntcheu Police Station as officer-in-charge (OIC), according to communication The Nation has seen.

The internal communication shows that Manjolo’s position has been filled by her deputy Nicholas Gondwa, who picked up the post only in March this year after serving as spokesperson for the Southern Region.

Eastern Region spokesperson Thomeck Nyaude has now moved to National Police Headquarters at Area 30 in Lilongwe as deputy spokesperson.

In an interview on Wednesday, Gondwa confirmed the changes effected on December 1, describing them as normal within the police service.

The changes have seen Senior Deputy Commissioner of Police (SDCP) for Southern Region Effie Kaitano moved to Eastern Region as acting commissioner of police replacing Wilson Matinga who died suddenly three weeks ago after collapsing while on official duty at Malosa in Zomba.

Former National Police spokesperson Willie Mwaluka, SDCP for Blantyre Urban, is now SDCP at Eastern Region headquarters while Deputy Commissioner of Police Ellen Liganga, who was OIC at Dedza Police Station, has taken over as the new director of airports at Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) in Lilongwe. n