United States and UNDP launch new partnership to strengthen the Independent Complaints Commission (ICC) in MW
Lilongwe, 02 November 2022: The United States Government, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Independent Complaints Commission (ICC), is launching an initiative that will enable the Commission to conduct complex investigations aimed at increasing public trust in the Malawi Police Service.
Through the new project, “Strengthening the Independent Complaints Commission (ICC),” officially launched today, the United States Government will provide technical and financial support of US$700,000 to strengthen the capacity of the ICC as a valuable oversight body in supporting greater levels of professionalism and accountability in the Malawi Police Service (MPS).
The Malawi Independent Complaints Commission was established in 2020, under Section 128 of the 2010 Police Act, to receive and investigate complaints by the public against police officers and the Police Service and ensure the overall accountability of the service. The Commission rolled out its operations on the 1st July, 2021 and has its Secretariat in Lilongwe.
The 18-month project will provide support in ensuring that the ICC is able to securely collect and store evidence; conduct investigations based on strong evidence and prepare winning substantive cases that can be taken up for prosecution; and increase public awareness of the Commission’s role in handling citizenry’s grievances of unethical behaviors that infringe on their rights as enshrined in the Malawi Constitution.
As key development partners, the United States and UNDP continue to work alongside the Government of Malawi and other key stakeholders to ensure that the oversight capacity of key rule of law institutions in the country is increased. The new initiative directly responds to the United States’ strategic objective of supporting Malawi’s efforts to address human rights violations committed by law enforcement personnel, ensuring transparent investigations and appropriate disciplinary actions. And it furthers UNDP’s strategic goal to ensure that the functions and capacity of rule of law institutions are enabled to deliver accountable, effective, and equitable justice services.
The project will be implemented in close collaboration with the Malawi Police Service, Malawi Human Rights Commission, National Initiative for Civic Education, CSOs and other stakeholders at the national level, with the ICC as the lead implementing partner.
The Minister of Homeland Security, Hon. Jean Sendeza MP, the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Malawi, H.E. David Young, Mr. Challa Getachew, and Independent Complaints Commissioner Mr. Christopher Tukula will preside over the official launch, which will be attended by other high-level officials.
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