Malawi army chief who refused to fire on protestors wins back his job

Malawi's new President Lazarus Chakwera has reappointed the country's army commander sacked by his predecessor after troops protected protesters contesting elections marred by fraud.

Mr Chakwera said the appointment of General Vincent Nundwe as commander of Malawi Defence Force took effect immediately.

Violent protests rocked the southern African nation in May last year following the controversial reelection of Peter Mutharika.

The election was later annulled by a panel of five top judges because of irregularities and a re-run ordered within five months. Mr Chakwera won the fresh elections.

Gen Nundwe at the time told a news conference that the army had a role to maintain constitutional order.

The president on Tuesday said the general's sacking was "without justification".

"My purpose is to heal the injury and injustice of an unfair decision inflicted on our entire military as a professional institution," he said at a media address.

The fate of Gen Nundwe's then successor, Gen Peter Namathanga, is still unclear, but local media quote the president as saying that he will soon convene the defence council to discuss the appointment of a new deputy commander.

Source: BBC