We will shut down Parliament—HRDC
Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) has threatened to shut down Parliament next week if legislators confirm Duncan Mwapasa as Inspector General (IG) of Malawi Police Service.
HRDC has issued the warning through a statement which its chairperson Timothy Mtambo and his deputy Gift Trapence released Sunday.
HRDC, among other reasons, the acting IG of allegedly ordering the police ‘to fire live bullets’ on protesters ‘in support of the DPP [Democratic Progressive Party]-led government’.
“His confirmation as Inspector General of the Malawi Police Service will bring the current police farther from the people who have lost trust in it,” the statement reads.
The statement further alleges that Mwapasa has failed to stop abductions and killing of people with albinism; hence, he is unfit to be promoted as IG.
Other reasons listed in the statement include that he was mentioned in the Inquiry Report of the murder of The Malawi Polytechnic student, Robert Chasowa, a scenario which HRDC says “raises suspicion on his possible role in Chasowa murder.”
“Voting for Mwapasa is voting for a police State which we cannot accept. The coming in of Malawi Defence Force [officers] to provide public order is an indication that police has failed miserably under his leadership,” the statement reads.
Parliament is set to deliberate and vote for the confirmation or rejection of Mwapasa as the police boss after failing to do the same last Friday due to time constraints.
President Peter Mutharika named Mwapasa as acting IG to replace Rodney Jose who is on holiday ahead of his retirement later this month.
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