New Malawi president fires police chief before waMutharika's burial

Malawi's new President Joyce Banda has fired the nation's police chief and hired a new one, two days after she took office following her predecessor's death.

Banda has "appointed commissioner Lot Dzonzi as the new inspector general of police with effect from April 8", replacing former top cop Peter Mukhito, said a statement from the office of the president and cabinet.

The statement did not say why Mukhito, appointed by late president Bingu wa Mutharika two years ago, was axed.

Mukhito, who rose from being a guard commander of Mutharika's security, had been accused of mishandling anti-government riots last year in which 19 people were killed, as well as the mysterious death of a university political activist who published a news sheet highly critical of the government.

The Malawi police service has about 8 000 officers.

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