By Paul Madise
Lilongwe, April 14, Mana: Commissioner of Police Dennis Chipao has described the launch and orientation of the Police Public Order Management Policy and Guidelines for 2025 elections as timely and crucial in strengthening democratic policing, upholding the rule of law, and ensuring peaceful elections in 2025 and beyond.
Chipao made the remarks at Crossroads Hotel in Lilongwe during the official launch of the 3rd version of the Police Public Order Management Policy and orientation of all Police Commanders across the country.
The initiative has been financed through the Malawi Electoral Support Project (MESP) basket fund to significantly enhance the Malawi Police Service`s capacity to manage public order situations effectively while ensuring the protection of human rights and promoting democratic values ahead of the September elections.
He emphasized the importance of human rights protection and the need for such engagement to ensure human rights are maintained and safeguarded, further underscoring the need for guidance on the use of force amidst various interventions during elections.
Chipao also noted key advancements in the revised policy, including strengthening accountability, ensuring justice for both police and the public, and the importance of de-escalation and proportionality in the use of force.
“The major role of the police is to maintain law and order to make sure that the space is secure and the rest of the people are protected. Let's make sure that everything is done peacefully and in an orderly manner. We have only one Malawi to protect,” said Chipao.
In his remarks, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Representative Azhar Malik said UNDP remains committed to deliver capacity-building training and advisory support through MESP.
Furthermore, Malik commended the project`s developmental partners, including the European Union, Ireland, Norway, United Kingdom, and the United States government, for their unwavering support to the democratic governance of the country, describing the policy as a roadmap tailored for Malawi.
“This handbook explains guidelines on how the policing of the Public Order events needs to happen, and what the responsibility of the Malawi police service as regard to international guidelines on maintaining peaceful protest.
“So we hope that after the launch of these guidelines, the relevant people will be trained, and implement them in practice as well in different jurisdictions.”
However, Malik has urged Police senior officers in the country to lead by example in upholding the values of the policy and aligning their teams with the vision for rights-based policies.
The Launch and Orientation of the Police Public Order Management and Guidelines attracted key stakeholders from UNDP, International Criminal Court(ICC) and Malawi Police Service, among others.
