By Vincent Gunde
President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera says while he is in Nigeria, he has been following the developments back home in Malawi, strongly condemning the violence that marred recent demonstrations in the Capital-Lilongwe on Thursday where activist Sylvester Namiwa was heavily bruised leaving him half-dead.
President Chakwera says the right of Malawians to protest peacefully is not only enshrined in the Constitution, it is a birthright saying as such, both the violence and destruction of property that took place during these demonstrations are totally unacceptable and have no space in the country’s democracy.
“I have directed all relevant state agencies to act swiftly and decisively to restore calm as well as to investigate what happened and ensure that all those who violated the law are held accountable,” reads President Chakwera’s writings on the wall.
Limpopo, an online radio station has advised MDF Commander General Dr. Paul Velentino Phiri and Inspector General of Police Madam Merlyn Yolamu not to waste time investigating identities of MCP thugs that bruised activist Sylvester Namiwa claiming that the radio has already sent the list to Madam Yolamu.
The Radio’s Nkhanga zaona presenter Comrade Ntanyiwa said what is remaining is to effect arrests of these thugs assuring Madam Yolamu that if she doesn’t know locations where these thugs are staying in Lilongwe, he will provide the details.
Ntanyiwa concurred with the remarks made by former President Dr. Bakili Muluzi who asked a question of the purpose of police and Army officers on the site of the demonstrations if they did not protect citizens, only to be watching the attackers to be doing what was best for them in their full view.
Dr. Muluzi said these security officers could have remained in their offices, describing the incident as a recipe for more violence if this is left unchecked, Ntanyiwa said there were 350 attackers that were sent to disrupt the peaceful demonstrations in Lilongwe.
He said out of this figure, there were some notable names from State House and two ex-soldiers who were driving the armored vehicles saying this clearly shows that Army Commander and Inspector General of Police were all aware of what was planned on that particular day.
Ntanyiwa said unfortunately, the attackers were allegedly dressing up in Army and Police uniforms at the Lilongwe Girls Secondary School cemetery, masking up their faces and distributing pangas and other offensive weapons to one another.
He has accused one of the demonstrations organizer activist Comrade Edwards Kambanje of being found in the middle of panga wielders at the Lilongwe Girls Secondary School Cemetery suspecting him for being one who presented Sylvester Namiwa to the attackers.
“Comrade Kambanje’s presence in the middle of the panga wielding thugs, is questionable, he handed Namiwa to the attackers,” said Ntanyiwa.
He has since given 3 days to Madam Yolamu that if she fails to arrest these MCP thugs and leave them scot-free as she used before, he will announce to Malawians that all going to attend political rallies, churches and meetings, must carry with them pangas to defend themselves as police and Army is not on their side.
