The Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has described as a mix bag a meeting which the human rights advocacy institution had with Police Inspector General (IG) Dr. George Kainja.   

CDEDI, led by its executive director Sylvester Namiwa requested to have the meeting with top leadership of the law enforcing agency following the increase in reported cases of excessive use of force by police on unarmed citizens.

While commending the Police IG for accepting the request for the interface, Namiwa has told Yoneco FM that more needs to be done if Malawians are to witnesses the agency as a service not a police force.

“Going into the neatly grit ties of the meeting I can say that we agreed on some, he defended others somehow he was elusive but nonetheless he apologised and pledged for investigations on a number of issues.

“For example, when we put it to him that the police threw teargas canisters at Luchenza Primary School learners he didn’t hesitate but to apologise and promised to us that police is going to investigate circumstances that lead to the unfortunate situation,” said Namiwa.

According to Namiwa, the police IG has assured CDEDI that they will be conducted such meetings frequently.

He added that the IG has pledged to protect media freedom, and to ensure that the media practitioners operate freely, within the confines of the law.

CDEDI and other Civil Rights Organizations (CSOs), have been voicing out such incidences of police using excessive force but they say yielded no results.

The meeting lasted about two hours. Dr. Kainja was flanked by the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations Demister Chigwenembe and six other senior officers from the Criminal Investigation Department; the Department of Operations; and the Legal Affairs Department.