By Agatha Kadzinje
Blantyre, February 28, Mana: President Dr Lazarus Chakwera has emphasized the need for Malawians to encourage each other to follow the laws of the country, saying this will help ease the work of Malawian security officers and accelerate development in the country.
He made the remarks Friday during the 14th intake prison recruits pass-out at Mapanga Prison Staff Training School in Blantyre.
Chakwera noted that the prison profession is often undermined in the country, adding that no one has ever complained about improving services in prisons.
“This is one of the key indicators that show how serious a country is about national development. If we don’t give attention to this sector, it shows that we don’t care about the laws and security of our nation,” he said.
He observed that most Malawians do not know the laws of the country, emphasizing that this is not the fault of any governing regime but rather an issue of negligence.
“This has been demonstrated in the recent incident in Nkhata Bay where people were building houses on land designated for this year’s Martyrs’ Day commemorations. As a result, the military has been forced to restrict access to the area, but unfortunately, this action has come too late,” he explained.
The President reiterated the need for prisons to provide a safe environment for rehabilitation of inmates so that they are encouraged to reform and not condemned.
He congratulated the recruits, urging them to provide exceptional service to the country’s prison system through honesty and transparency.
Minister of Homeland Security, Ezekiel Peter Ching’oma, said the Ministry has identified a rehabilitation strategy aimed at improving conditions in the prison, which will contribute to achieving the Malawi 2063 through improved service delivery.
Ching’oma advised the new recruits to uphold professionalism and apply the skills they have acquired, cautioning them against engaging in politics.
“Work with the mission to develop the country and nothing else. Use this qualification to develop yourself and those around you,” he said.
He expressed confidence that the trained recruits will enhance transparency and security in prisons across the country.
Ching’oma expressed gratitude for government’s promising budget allocation to the Ministry, saying it will help address some of these challenges.
Some of notable guests at the event included Minister of Information and Digitalization, Moses Kunkuyu; Deputy Chief Justice, Lovemore Chikopa SC; Blantyre City Mayor, Councilor Joseph Makwinja, Senior Chief Kapeni, Minister of Interior for the Republic of Mozambique, Paulo Chachine.
The initial intake comprised 1,000 recruits, but 15 were dismissed due to misconduct. 985 recruits graduated, including 410 females and 575 males.
