Mutharika's Press Secretary Mgeme Kalilani.
President Peter Mutharika and the Chief Secretary to the Government have contradicted each other on the appointment of acting Inspector General Rodney Jose.
In a statement signed by Mutharika's Press Secretary Mgeme Kalilani, State House said Jose's appointment was necessitated by Kachama going out on a 90-day annual leave.
The statement said Kachama's annual leave which began on April 1st will take him to the date of his retirement on 30th June, 2018.
"What His Excellency the President Prof. Arthur Peter Mutharika has done therefore, is simply to appoint the Deputy Inspector General of Police; Mr. Rodney Jose as Acting Inspector General of Police to fill the gap created by the aforementioned administrative arrangement.
"The decision to appoint an Acting Inspector General of Police is meant to avoid a leadership vacuum in the Police service while Dr. Kachama is on leave pending retirement," said Kalilani in the statement.
But in a letter to Kachama dated February 28, Chief Secretary to Government Lloyd Muhara said Kachama has 36 leave days which he needs to exhaust before retiring.
The 36 days of leave would not take Kachama to 30th June – the date of his retirement – hence the appointment of Jose seems to have been fast-tracked.
Muhara in the letter advised Kachama to proceed on leave during which he will also wait for retirement, essentially sacking him.