Police in Malawi’s capital Lilongwe have arrested 15 people allegedly being involved in violence during the post elections protests held across the country on Friday but left out the ruling party supporters beating up protesters in Blantyre City.
Thousands of Malawians led by human rights activists took to the streets of major cities in the southern African nation, demanding resignation of Jane Ansa, the Chairperson of Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) on claims that she mismanaged the recent general elections.
The people who have been protesting the May 21, elections results which were marred by several irregularities accuse the electoral body of rigging votes in favor of President Peter Mutharika.
But President Mutharika’s Dyyemocratic Progressive Party (DPP) youths calling themselves ‘cadets’ have been using violence against the protesters to stop the demonstrations especially in Blantyre , the strong hold of Mutharika.
During the Friday’s protests, some demonstrators especially in Lilongwe blocked roads and they could demand money from motorists passing through the road . Others destroyed a house of a MEC commissioner and store property.
kingsly Dandaula, the Police Spokesman for Lilongwe city said most of the suspects have been charged with endangering lives of motorists, and theft.
“We are still conducting investigations , and will take them to court soon,” said Dandaula, adding that “some of them blocked the road with burning tyres.”y
Ironically, the police did not arrest notorious DPP cadets,who were beating up people in full view of the police.
The DPP youth militia who have mostly been used by the party officials to attack their opponents were equiped with knives and other dangerous weapons attacking the protesters to call off the demonstrations.
They could also chase out journalists from private media houses, accusing them of bias reporting towards the opposition.
It took the courage of the Malawi Defense Forces’ soldiers to disperse the violent cadets after beating up some of them .
The public has been accusing the police of shielding the cadets who continue to cause havoc especially in southern Malawi.
