A reported power struggle for the position of Inspector General of Police is intensifying within the Malawi Police Service, with Deputy Inspector General of Police Noel Kaira allegedly under pressure to strengthen his chances of taking over the top post.
Sources familiar with developments within the police service claim the rivalry has intensified following the appointment of Evalista Mvula Chisale as Deputy Inspector General responsible for Administration.
The appointment has introduced a new dynamic at the top of the police hierarchy, with Chisale bringing years of experience in senior police command.
According to the sources, Kaira has been under increasing pressure to demonstrate his leadership credentials and deliver high-profile results that could improve his standing with the appointing authority.
The claims come amid uncertainty over the future of Inspector General Richard Luhanga, whose appointment has also attracted scrutiny following his previous position as Northern Region Police Commissioner.
Sources further allege that Luhanga has been accused within the police service of nepotism, including favouring people from the Northern Region, particularly Tumbuka officers, in promotions and assignments to temporary duties. These allegations have not been independently verified.
Luhanga was appointed Inspector General after Arthur Peter Mutharika returned to the presidency.
Kaira was appointed Deputy Inspector General responsible for Administration, while Stain Chaima was appointed Deputy Inspector General responsible for Operations.
The leadership configuration has since changed, with Kaira now responsible for Operations and Chisale heading Administration following Chaima’s retirement.
The reported rivalry comes against the background of previous changes involving Luhanga and Kaira.
In January 2024, Luhanga, then South West Region Police Commissioner, was transferred to the Northern Region, swapping positions with Kaira, who moved to the South West Region.
Luhanga later faced an Anti-Corruption Bureau investigation over alleged abuse of office involving paint donated for police facilities.
The ACB arrested him in March 2025 and he was granted bail.
The case involved allegations dating to his time as Northern Region commissioner.
Sources now allege that competition for the IG position has become more pronounced, with senior officers positioning themselves for any possible change at the top.
The sources further allege that Kaira has been keen to use major police operations to demonstrate his capacity to lead the service.
The latest high-profile operation involved the rescue of British national Nuzrat Osman, who had been abducted in Blantyre.
Kaira was shot in the stomach during the operation and was taken to Mwaiwathu Private Hospital for treatment. Police reporting confirms he was wounded during the operation.
Police said two suspects were killed during the operation, six others remained at large and two rifles were recovered.
The incident has since generated questions among some sources about the circumstances surrounding the operation and the role Kaira played in it.
Information sourced by this publication also contains allegations that Kaira has been portraying the incident as an example of his willingness to personally lead high-risk operations, including claims that he was shot while attempting to rescue Osman.
Police accounts confirm that Kaira sustained gunshot wounds during the rescue operation, but the more specific claims about his conduct during the operation could not independently be established.
There are also allegations from sources that Kaira has faced pressure linked to the kidnapping problem, including claims that individuals involved in a kidnapping cartel pressured him to produce immediate results.
The same sources allege that money may have changed hands between people connected to the kidnapping network and individuals within the security establishment, and specifically accuse Kaira of collecting money from the alleged cartel.
These claims have not been independently verified, and no evidence establishing that Kaira received money from kidnappers has been publicly presented.
The allegations are emerging alongside wider concerns about the proliferation of firearms in major cities, with sources questioning whether the police leadership has done enough to dismantle networks involved in organised crime and illegal firearms.
The concerns have gained renewed attention following the Osman rescue operation, during which police recovered rifles from suspected kidnappers.
Police have said investigations are continuing and that six suspects linked to the abduction remain at large.
There are also unverified allegations surrounding the leadership of the police during the search and rescue operation following the plane crash that killed former Vice-President Saulos Chilima and other passengers.
The allegations include claims that senior police officers knew the location of the aircraft earlier than officially acknowledged and that questions could arise over the command of the search operation.
The reported contest for the IG position also comes at a time when the MPS is undergoing changes in its senior command structure.
Chisale’s appointment is particularly significant because of her previous experience in senior police command, including her time as deputy commissioner in the Central Region.
Her appointment has therefore added another experienced officer to the top leadership of the service.
For now, there is no official indication that President Mutharika intends to replace Luhanga as Inspector General.
The Presidency, Police Service Commission and the MPS have also not publicly confirmed any succession contest involving Luhanga, Kaira or Chisale.
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