Parliament is expected to debate a petition outlining security concerns presented by Blantyre Community Policing Forum last Wednesday, acting Clerk of Parliament Roosevelt Gondwe said yesterday.
The forum petitioned Parliament over continued insecurity in the city and Mulanje South legislator Bon Kalindo received it on behalf of parliament.
Said Gondwe: “The petition was presented on Wednesday and Parliament rose on Friday. There was no time to table it, but that will happen in September.”
During the sitting, Parliament passed a provisional budget and will meet again in September for full budget debate.
Gondwe said there is no period required for presenting the petition so long the issues presented are pertinent and not being debated in Parliament.
Said Gondwe: “All that is required is to find an MP who is interested in the issues the petitioners are raising but which are not already being debated.”
Kalindo said in an interview yesterday he received the petition because he supported the issues raised which bordered on security.
The petition pointed out that insecurity is mostly caused by deficiencies in the Malawi Police Service (MPS) such as inadequate funding, lack of welfare, structure and motivation, transfers mishandling and lack of support from government and communities.
Minster of Home Affairs and Internal Security Paul Chibingu said yesterday he was yet to see the petition.
However, last Tuesday Chibingu assured the nation at a press briefing he had with Inspector General of Police Lot Dzonzi in Lilongwe that security will improve.
