Mduwa residents in Mchinji District are petitioning hard for a return of law and order after some community members torched Mikundi Police in August 2022.
Police officers were withdrawn shortly after the arson by a mob baying for two suspects arrested for assaulting Widwell Allan, 15, and leaving him for dead.
The “repentant” locals have renovated the police unit and officer-in-charge’s house using door-to-door contributions and Constituency Development Fund, but the security agents haven’t returned.
The police hiatus has left the area patrolled by civilian volunteers, clad in green bibs.
“I wear this vest with pride because it assures everyone I’ve nothing to hide,” says Mduwa community police forum leader Yosefe Kachulu. “When people see me, they see law and order.”
Concerned Youth Organisations (CYO) trained the group with funding from Oxfam Ireland through Oxfam in Malawi under the Reducing Poverty and Inequality Project.
The initiative underway in traditional authorities Mduwa and Mkanda empowers community action groups to lead the fight against gender-based violence and refer cases to relevant role-players, including the police.
Kachulu’s squad has become go-to protectors of women and children affected by exploitation and rights violations.
They worked closely with village heads and community members to rebuild the police unit.
“We need the police and utterly regret what happened. Last October, we met district police authorities to apologise and ask them to come back to our area, but we are still waiting,” says group village head Sunde.
He asks Inspector General of Police Merlyne Yolamu to reopen the rehabilitated unit.
“Ours is a plea,” he says. “If we have to apologise to the police chief, I will humbly kneel before her and do that. She is our daughter here [in Mchinji] and she should hear our cry. We have learnt the ills of vandalising public infrastructure. Currently, many cases die in silence.”
Community leaders have proclaimed by-laws that prohibit vandalism.
However, Kachulu says the uncertainty and unresolved cases dissuades the community-policing group.
“The police promised to return soon, but we are getting frustrated because they haven’t come to our aid despite our efforts,” says village head Mduwa.
The local policing group and community action group members meet every Tuesday to discuss security issues, including areas reached and not.
“We’ve learnt bitter lessons as most cases, including sexual abuse, are prematurely terminated due to long walks to the nearest police, where they send us back, saying: ‘you have a police unit in your community’. Yet police officers haven’t returned to the renovated unit,” says community action group member Prosperina Nyambose.
She recounts how the breakdown in policing and prosecution emboldens criminals, including GBV perpetrators.
Nyambose states: “We have a court, but no one to arrest criminals and take them to justice.
“Due to unconcluded cases, no one is held to account. Some perpetrators come back to haunt the vulnerable women and children. GBV survivors don’t see justice done.”
CYO project officer Aubrey Chidziwitso says the community has requested an audience with police bosses and Mchinji District Council officials to speed up the promised reopening of the police unit.
“The community now feels betrayed since the duty-bearer promised to send staff after the renovations, but police officers still operate from Kamwendo. The security breakdown fuels GBV cases in the community. The figures keep increasing,” he said.
For Dominic Njirankhondo, the punishment is unfair.
“They are punishing innocent people, especially women and children. Instead of punishing everyone, the police should have investigated the matter to arrest the vandals,” he says.
When asked, Mchinji police station spokesperson, Sergeant Limbani Mpinganjira requested more time to consult new officer-in-charge as her predecessor has departed for Area 30 Police Headquarters.
Yamikani Nowa, a community volunteer responsible for social welfare, said it is unfortunate that community members seeking justice have to make an 18km trip to Nzama Police Unit or double the distance to Kamwendo Police Station—often in vain.
“Despite the long walks, we’ve become unwelcome guests in our nearest police establishments,” he says.
