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| Features |
| New IG, his vision for police |
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by
Francis Tayanjah-Phiri, 30 June 2006
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07:16:45
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When you see him walking down the streets of Mzuzu in civilian clothes you would not believe he is a senior police officer.
But your encounter with this humble-looking police officer will leave you appreciating challenges facing Malawi’s present day police. The man loves his job.
This time round the man is likely to have added more medals on his uniforms after his confirmation by Parliament on Tuesday as Malawi’s new Inspector General of Police.
No hidden agenda, we are talking about none other than Oliver Mathews Kumbambe, Malawi’s new police boss.
Kumbambe, a family man of three children-a son and two daughters, and a loving wife Magaret-could be the pride of his Masunda Village, in Chief Phambala’s area in Ntcheu but he is now the trustee of all lives and property within the borders of Malawi.
Sitting in his former office of Northern Region Police Commissioner, dressed in civilian clothes as he probably awaited his new uniform, Kumbambe could have been visualising on how he would steer the police service into the future.
“Policing is a challenging profession because the public has high expectations from you at all times,” said Kumbambe in an exclusive interview this week.
He said he would take challenges of his office head-on to meet the expectations of million of Malawians. He also said that he looks forward-with assistance from government-to meet the expectations of his men and women in the service.
This active and dedicated member of the Zambezi Evangelical Church puts God first in his life and says he is indebted to God’s love for this life-time professional achievement.
“I thank God for the authorities’ trust in me. But I call upon all Malawians to support their police service, because without their support we cannot succeed,” said Kumbambe, who joined the Malawi service in 1990.
The police man in Kumbambe is the culmination of an inspiring life story.
When he was selected from Gumba Primary School in his Ntcheu District to Robert Blake Secondary School in Dowa in 1981, Oliver played with the ambition of becoming a policeman, but it was just one of those things-nothing serious.
He took it as such till he finished his four years at Robert Blake and was selected to Chancellor College to pursue a degree in Bachelor of Arts (Humanities).
After graduation Kumbambe took up a job at the University’s Centre for Social Research as a Research Assistant. Then, little did he know that he would benefit from the research knowledge later.
An advertisement in the local media calling for young men and women to join the police service ignited Oliver’s dream later in 1990. The advert did what was common then-encouraged university graduates to take up the challenge to serve Malawians through the police service.
“I immediately applied and was picked after routine interviews,” recalls Kumbambe.
The newly-appointed IG vividly remembers the time he joined the Malawi Police Training College (Kanjedza) for the basic recruit training and endured training until he graduated six months later.
Straight from Kanjedza, Kumbambe was posted to Blantyre Police Station where he served in various policing sections. He moved from General Duties, Records, CID, Signals, Traffic and finally to Prosecutions.
At Blantyre Station, as he changed sections he rose in ranks as well till he became sub-inspector.
“I went through promotional and responsibility courses within the ranks, and was later selected to undergo a cadet course for six months in 1992 at the Police College in Zomba,” he said.
Immediately after his cadet training Kumbambe was posted to his home district of Ntcheu, where he served as station officer.
From Ntcheu Kumbambe went to Police Training College, this time round not as a student, but a trainer. He was attached to the Advanced Wing that deals with developmental, promotional and specialist courses.
While there he served as a trainer for some years, until he was promoted to the position of Officer-in-Charge for the Advanced Training Wing. Later he was posted to the Police Headquarters in Lilongwe as a training officer before he became head of training at national level.
The next transfer saw him moving within the perimeters of Area 30 [Police Headquarters], where he was posted to the Research and Planning Unit which is responsible for organisational changes within the police service. He joined the unit as Chief Superintendent but by the time he was leaving it he had risen to the position of Assistant Commissioner.
After police integrated training and human resource management Kumbambe found himself on the move to the new Resource Management and Training branch as Officer-in-charge at the rank of Senior Assistant Commissioner before he was promoted on transfer to the Northern Region as Deputy Commissioner in 2001.
He did not stay long in the North. He was recalled to police headquarters as Deputy Commissioner responsible for administration, but it wasn’t long before he went back top the North.
“In 2003 I was posted to the Northern Region as Commissioner responsible for the Region, until now when I am being appointed Inspector General,” said Kumbambe.
Asked how he received news of his appointment Kumbambe said: “Honestly, I was surprised, but I knew it was the will of God and a challenge that I must take. Naturally I got excited.”
Kumbambe is a man who has valued education since he set his foot in a classroom. After leaving college he felt that being a university graduate was not enough so he went out scouting for more learning opportunities.
“Not very long ago, I undertook a Masters Degree Course in Business Administration (Esam/Maastricht School of Management, Netherlands). I graduated from the school recently, and now look forward to using the knowledge gained in my duties at the helm of the police service,” said Kumbambe, who believes the police reform programme has added a new dimension to the Malawi Police Service.
Asked about his plans Kumbambe said it was premature for him to say more than assuring Malawians that he would put his best into his duties.
But he cited the problem of illegal immigrants as an area requiring continued attention through bilateral cross-border policing.
On cases of human rights violations which sometimes implicate police officers Kumbambe said police reforms have always encouraged respect for human rights so he would encourage training and regular sensitisation for police officers.
Recent past IGs were accused by some quarters of being used by the party in power to victimise opposition but Kumbambe is vowing to remain professional.
“Maybe it is a challenge as you say, but such [political] pressures would actually be dealt with by professional aspects of the job. Professionalism would override political pressures that are or could be there,” says Kumbambe.
Kumbambe’s appointment and subsequent confirmation by Parliament has put to rest a protracted battle that ensued after the House rejected Mutharika’s choice of Mary Damson Nangwale as IG.
Kumbambe takes over the hot seat from Often Thyolani who was acting since the courts ruled that the House had powers to reject Nangwale.
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