Creaw Portal

Sunday December 7, 2008 The Standard

A lesson from the Malawi Police Service

By CORRESPONDENT

As the civil society struggles to reform the Kenyan police force into a human rights sensitive institution,a visiting Learn of police officers and hu­man rights activists from Malawi say that there are still more sacrifices to be made in order to achieve the intended goal.

According to Ezeck Maluwa,the Assistant Commissioner of Police for the Malawi Police Service,there is need for real change in the police fra­ternity all over Africa.

"I am glad that some efforts have already been made to spur the desired changes in the Kenyan forces. I have seen sensitive desks such as the Chil­dren's desk in almost all the police sta­tions I visited. But I have also noticed that like in many other African coun­tries, there is a gap between the pub­lic and the police officers," said the Malawian Assistant Commissioner of Police during his visit at the Malaba police station in Western Kenya.

Malawi has had one of Africa's most sensitive police force towards human rights, and gender based is­sues for the past 12 years. However,according to Maluwa, this change was not achieved so easily, "It was an effort by non governmental organisations and the government. And when the change finally came, it affected the entire police force," he said.

Until 1995, the institution in Ma­lawi was referred to as the Malawi Po­lice Force. But after the revolution, it changed to Malawi Police Service. As well, the colour of all the police vehi­cles were changed from the ordinary deep blue,to white,which symbolises peace. "Look at me now. I'm a senior police officer, putting on clothes with writings to communicate peace. Look at my colleagues; they have come all the way from Malawi to preach peace in Kenya. This is a comitment which cannot be achieved in a day. It means that the Malawi Police Service has a duty that goes beyond just policing," said Maluwa,

The team, which was accompa­nied by Magistrate Julius Kalambo from the Malawi Judiciary, counsel­lors, and human rights activists, had joined the Kenyan team of Men for Gender Equality Now (MEGEN) in a five day Men Travelling Conference countrywide to raise awareness on

gender based, and domestic violence. MEGEN was initiated in 2001 by the African Women's Development and Communication Network (FEMNET) to carry out initiatives to end gender based violence.

Other Malawian police officers who joined the caravan to Western Ke­nya were Second sergeant Fridah Mbulaje, sergeant Welis Manthali and Mavuto Nangwale.

During the caravan conference last week at the Malaba police station,the deputy Officer Commanding the Sta­tion, Inspector Salim Abdallah con­fessed that the station was choking with defilement cases. "We receive these cases almost weekly, though we are glad that in most cases, justice has been done. Recently,one culprit whose case passed through this sta­tion has been given a 20 years jail term for having defiled a minor.

However, he complained that most of the community members who have filed such cases have always come back to seek for withdrawal of the cas­es, in favour of Kangaroo courts. "What they do not realise is that the case does not involve them, whether they are the real parents of the survi­vors or not.

It involves a minor, who can only be defended by the law,and not any amount of money. Therefore on those grounds,we have always refused to withdraw any case involving minors in such circumstances,"said Inspec­tor Salim.

The Men Travelling Conference's group which toured the western parts of the country went through Kisumu to Bondo district, Siaya, Malaba, Eldo­ret, Nakuru then back to Nairobi.

"Our main target was to reach out to over 36,000 men and women living in Western Kenya. And this was achieved through one on one interac­tion between our members on the travel caravan and the public, drama skits, songs, poetry, and formally ad­dressing the crowds in local Ianguag­es,"said Peter Gichanga, the MEGEN Rapid Response Chairperson, who was also the route leader for the West­ern team.

According to Derrick Njue, a nurs­ing officer from the Nairobi Women's Hospital's Gender Violence Recovery Centre, since the year 2001 to July 2008, a total of 10,890 cases of gender based violence were reported at the centre.

"Six per cent of these cases were men survivors, while the majority were children. And the highest figures were recorded during the post elec­tion violence," adds Njue.

"In order to succeed in this war in Kenya, the civil society must face the reality, and spend money in training the police officers in all aspects of hu­man rights," said Maluwa.