By James Gladson Kanyenda
Mary Nangwale was appointed Inspector General of the Malawi Police Service in September 2004 by the then President, the late Professor Bingu wa Mutharika.
While acting in the post pending Parliament’s approval, and subsequently seeking court redress after her rejection by Parliament in March 2005, Mary Nangwale introduced 997 Rapid Response, a toll-free line that helped reduce crime in 2005.
She could also be seen on the ground personally leading operations.
Being a woman herself, she took a firm stand against gender-based violence.
Messages ran on both radio and television with Nangwale sternly warning men against perpetrating gender-based violence, emphasising that the police would not tolerate perpetrators but would bring them to book. She encouraged victims to report.
To date, the question remains: why was she rejected by Parliament? Was she incompetent?
Was she a victim of circumstances? Or was it a show of political supremacy in the August House? Or a true demonstration of the power of numerical strength in the National Assembly?
Why is it so hard for Members of Parliament to vote out of individual conviction rather than along political lines as agreed during party caucuses?
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