…fire Kalumo or we take action
…40 officers fired by Kalumo
… as Malawi Police officers want Muwanga out
It never rains for President Lazarus Chakwera but it pours as the country’s senior immigration officers have asked Charles Kalumo their boss to resign or the president fire him within 10 days.
The unprecedented mutiny at the countrys border security agency reflects the poor leadership of Chakwera who is sticking with controversial, corrupt and unperfoming ministers, civil servants and even graft facing aides.
The Investigator Magazine can also report that the same is brewing at the Malawi Police Service where Commissioner for Operations Muwanga is being accused of blantant tribalism and running the Police as a tribal cabal.
The President has failed to act or has acted always to back his own appointees who have now run down the country, as Malawians continue to face bleak times without any solution from their leaders.
Kalumo retired from the Malawi Defence Force almost a decade ago only to be brought back from his farm by the President who seem to have an eye for retirees. Some claim he the Presidents marriage counsellor hence he cant be fired.
On Monday evening, Immigration top brass met officials from their parent Homeland Security Ministry led by Erica Maganga, who is principal secretary.
They threatened to take unspecified action which could mean closing already troubled Immigration offices where self-inflicted passport woes continue.
President Chakweras family has been named as direct beneficiries of the woes at the Immigration Department.
Spokesperson for the Immigratiom group Charles Chisi said the Department has lost direction under Kalumo citing unfair dismissals, poor working conditions and maladministration.
This is the first time a security agency officials have openly spoken against their leader in the history of Malawi and it is unknown if President Chakwera will be compelled to act to avoid chaos that could ensue if the department shuts down again.
40 officers, Chisi said have been unfairly dismissed by Kalumo. The meeting ended late evening on Monday with Maganga refusing to speak to the media.
Police officers charge Muwanga is ‘IG’
In circulatin anonymous paper, Police insiders claim the Commissioner for Operations Muwanga is single handly running the services undermining the Inspector General and her two deputies.
“He tries his best to paralyze his best friend DIG Operation (Chalera). The DIG Admn (Happy Mkandawire) is just one puppet under him. The two fear him because of Juju and his connection to the top most as he’s from Kasiya where the HE is coming from,” alleges the police letter.
They claim Muwanga is a champion of tribalism with two thirds of recent recruitment coming from Central Region.
“Everyone wonders if the IG is complicit or incompetent. 70 percent of the recent promotions are from the Central Region. Even the recent transfers from Northern headquarters, he single handled them without the knowledge of the IG. Area 30 is a no go zone, to be there you need to be connected to Muwanga regardless of qualifications,” claims the message.
What next as security agencies rebel
President Chakwera is known for failing to make decisions and keeping non performing officials only to act under pressure.
The rebellion in Police and Immigration could open a floodgate of protests already seen in Mulanje over mining by Akatswiri company which is accused of being a front of President Chakwera and in Mangochi over failure to ease water at Liwonde barrage.
The growing discontent in all security agencies could mark a turn around for the worse for president who is widely expected to lose in 2025 elections his performance in economy, governance and even food security has been found wanting.
