By Phillip Pasula
MZUZU-(MaraviPost)-Commissioner of Police responsible for the northern region, Noel Kayira, has said there is need for journalists in the country to have a sense of responsibility when reporting on issues regarding security.
Kayira was speaking on Thursday morning at the Northern Region Police Headquarters in the city of Mzuzu during an interface meeting with journalists belonging to Nyika Media Club (NMC).
The meeting with the journalists came after the Commissioner, who is two months old in the region, had a series of such meetings with Civil Society Organisations and other stakeholders on issues of security.
He said the meeting was important as it gave him an opportunity to take note of issues that can help enhance a good working relationship between the Malawi Police Service (MPS) and the media.
“Members of the media were able to come forward with areas where they think we are not doing right. There were proposals that were made to ensure that we improve on those areas,” he said.
The Commissioner also emphasised that integrity was of paramount importance on the part of police officers as well as journalists.
“Integrity entails being honest, being corrupt free and being people that can be trusted and relied upon. You as media practitioners should be able to hold us accountable if our integrity is going down.
“If we are corrupt, you should be able to whistle blow and ask and bring forward the information you have received,” remarked Commissioner Kayira.
Chairperson for Nyika Media Club, Joseph Mwale, said the media was ready to work with the police in serving Malawians.
Said Mwale:“We all need a society that is crime free. While on one end the police are ensuring that we have a crime free society, we on the other end are there to see to it that we disseminate information.”
Through the meeting, it was noted that in the northern region, one police officer is policing 1,800 citizens against the recommended ratio of one police officer to 500 citizens and in some countries it is one to 400 citizens.
The northern region has 1,600 police officers but recruitment is ongoing and according to the Commissioner.
