Police’s ability to manage crowds questioned

Jul 08, 2017 Politics 40
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Malawi Police riot vehicle

The Media Advocates for the Advancement of Child Rights (MAACR) has called for the highlighting of Malawi police officers’ lapses in public management following the stampede that led to death of 7 children during the 53rd independence celebrations in Lilongwe.

According to a statement issued by MAACR and signed by its president Mallick Mnera, preliminary reports suggest that police fired teargas as they tried to contain people who were pressing to find their way into Bingu National Stadium ahead of a match between Silver Strikers and Nyasa Big Bullets.

One of the victims at the stampede.

“We urge journalists to highlight lapses in police public management systems in riots that involve people of different age groups. Just last month, we called on media practitioners to do the same when the police fired teargas and dispersed pupils rioting in Balaka, Ntcheu and Blantyre,” reads the statement.

According to the statement, police officers assigned to control the situation at BNS performed their duty unprofessionally.

“Without prejudice to any enquiry on the current matter, police officers deployed to manage the crowd should all the times execute their duties professionally. Such professional conduct should take cognizance of prevailing child protection principles.

“Police officers need to be held accountable for failing to execute their duties having reasonably assessed risk of their subsequent public management action,” says the statement.

MAACR has also defended women who sent their children to BNS without guidance saying authorities have a role to manage public order without using excessive violence or tactics that expose children to greater danger.

“Children have the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, as guaranteed by article 15 of convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). It is therefore imperative that police should at all times recognise the need to make their public order methods child-friendly,” says the statement.

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40 Comments

  1. Enanu Musalakhule Ngati Opanda Mzelu Palibe Chomwe Alakwa A Police Apa Ndipo Sinali Tchito Yawo Kuti Awaike Athu Pa Mzele Koma Nokha Anthu Komachifukwa Chosaziwa Kukhala Pa Mzele Mapeto Ake Ndi Awa Sindikuchiona Chifukwa Chomalimbana Ndi A Police Chifukwa Ndikhalidwe Lathu A Malawi Lokonda Kulimbanilana Zithu Ngati Zitsilu

  5. we all in one we ay or the other have betrayed our Nation we have sold our integrity and don’t want to buy it back how would you expect and huge population with less police officers perform take the ratio of one police officer to the expected population he or she has to cover no Wonder tear gas has always been a remedy in most such cases

  7. Munthu MSCE alibe how can u expect good output…miyoyo ya anthu kumaitenga ngati zifuyo..Why?…sorry little 7 brothers…life just been switched off by police…#sad..

  10. Nanga munthu wa nzeru ukuons kuti anthu akukanganira kulowa pa khomo ungamaponye teargas .komanso inu anthu otsegura ma gate mungamatsegule 10 koloko komanso mulibe nzeru eti mmesa ma gate mmayenera kursegura by 5Am .kale ku Stedium pa 6 july nthawi ya ngwazi magate ankatsegulidwa 12 Am

  11. Malawi police is well equipped and trained in public order management but its how they are being treated that make them work not efficiently.

  14. Komanso pali m’bambo wina yemwe mwana wake wachaka chomozi ndi miyedzi inayi wafaso pangoziyi pomwe adagwesa mwana wakeyo pachpwilikticho ndipo anthu adamuponda mmene amalo mpaka adafera pomwepo koma achipatala sanaziwe kamba kakuti mkiluyo adangomutola mwama wakeyo ulendo wakunyumba uku akulira.

  15. Mesa ntchito ya police angotengana pa chibale pawo? Nde inu mumati adziwe za chitetezo? Ntchitoyo analowera ndalama basi osati dongosolo

    2. Winaso anapita ndimwana wachaka ndi miyezi itatu wafaso naye.koma achipatala sanaziwe (sanawelengele)vuto simakolo koma…….amenewo.

  20. Don’t just blame the police,blame also those who were entering the stadium.Had it been everybody was on the q as it was planned dis wld not hav happened.Let us learn how 2 behave ourselves as Malawians.In South Africa pple use ques no matter how rich they r but they stand on a q

    1. That’s true, Henzie. We Malawians, are used to scrumble for things. Even on ques, we push each other struggling to be infront despite being far behlnd. We lack self responsibility.

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