Human Rights activist Pemphero Mphande has called the Malawi Police Service (MPS) to reinstate Sub Inspector Williams Kaponda who has been redeployed to Ndonda police unit in Kasungu and reverted to general duties.
During the weekend social media was awash with reports that Nkhotakota Police Station Public Relations Officer Kaponda has been transferred over a Facebook post he made.
It is reported that Kaponda questioned Tonse Alliance administration of the promised they made during campaign period that once ascend into government they will not make police officers line up along the roads waiting for the president.
“I’m hearing a police officer has been demoted in Nkhotakota for questioning why officers still have to stand on the roadside waiting for the President to pass. If true, this is retrogressive and not the new Malawi we hoped for,” Mphande said.
In his remarks Mphande said that the move taken by the Malawi Police s retrogressive and not the new Malawi everyone hoped for adding that the State House needs to review the security of the president when he travels locally adding that it is unfair for the lives of everyone to stop because of one person.
“I suggest a helicopter to be ferrying him from the state House to a base where he can get into his car without stopping people in the city. Outside the city, there is less traffic and there is no need of stopping anyone. They can just overtake like an ambulance does,” he said, adding that the president “is human and our servant,”
He therefore said that it is unfair to keep the men in uniform waiting for one man to pass when they could focus on other things.
“They have to assess what kind of danger there is to the President if no officer stands on the road. This assessment can help. For all we know, maybe it was just put in place without an assessment,” suggested Mphande.
He adds; “I implore the Tonse government to reinstate the officer to his position and keep their campaign promise on reducing the convoy and not stopping people when the President passes,”
Commenting on the matter, National Police Spokesperson James Kadadzera said the move has been made to discipline the officer in question.
