Africa-Press – Malawi. Junior police officers who were part of home security during the SADC conference that took place in Lilongwe have been scattered to new duty stations across the country after they lamented meagre allowances after working for 10 days and nights.
Unlike senior officers who are said to have pocketed allowances in the range of K130,000.00 to K300,000.00 for the same number of days, the junior officers were given only K30,000.00. The junior officers disclosed their grievances to one of the media houses in the country.
Right now, 40 junior police officers have been transferred from their working stations because they bemoaned the allowances which they feel were not in line with the task they carried out in providing security at Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe.
Commissioner Stan Kaliza signed a letter authorising the transfers of the junior officers. In the letter which was released on Tuesday, the Malawi Police Service (MPS) did not come out clear on the reasons why the officers were suddenly transferred but inside sources say they were not given any chance to prepare for the same.
The officers were earlier summoned at the Police headquarters when they voiced out their concerns. They were only waiting for their fate. Public Relations Officer for the Malawi Police Service, James Kadadzera, said he could not comment much on the matter as it was a security issue.
“There are some issues inside the police service which cannot be availed for public consumption because they concern the security of the country,” said Kadadzera. Police officers are never allowed to demonstrate or stage strikes because of the heavy discipline that accompanies their work.
