13 arrested in post-election fracas
Police in Lilongwe have in their custody 13 people who were arrested on Saturday after they burnt tyres and blocked a road as newly elected President Peter Mutharika was being sworn in about 310 kilometres away in Blantyre.
The incident occurred close to Malawi Congress Party (MCP) offices in Area 3, prompting police to conclude that the people involved were MCP sympathisers.
Lilongwe Police Station spokesperson Ramsey Mushani said police patrol teams, which were on alert around the city amid fears of possible post-election violence, received reports that people had gathered near the MCP offices.
He said: “The people had piled used tyres and set them alight, blocking the road to the [Area 3] residential area and causing a commotion.”
The 13 have since been charged with conduct likely to cause breach of peace and are expected to appear in court today, according to police.
However, MCP publicity secretary Jessie Kabwila said her party, being led by a man of God, had incessantly reminded its supporters that it would stand for peace.
But she said she would not rush to disown the people who have been arrested without conducting an investigation into the circumstances which led to the arrests.
Malawi held its first tripartite elections on May 20 2014 whose results, especially in the presidential race, were marred by uncertainty following demands from some political parties of a recount amid claims of irregularities.
In Mangochi on Friday, one person died and several others were injured following clashes between police and civilians after some people claiming to be concerned citizens marched to push Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to undertake a recount of the votes and not release results of the election by close of business on the eighth day after close of polling as provided by the law.
MCP was one of the parties that wanted MEC to recount the votes.
In official results announced by MEC on Friday night, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Peter Mutharika was declared winner with 1 904 399 votes.
He was sworn in on Saturday as the country’s fifth President alongside his then running mate now Vice-President Saulos Chilima at the Judiciary Complex in Blantyre.
MCP presidential candidate Lazarus Chakwera finished second with 1 455 880 votes, representing 27.8 percent of the national vote.
In an address on Saturday before Mutharika’s swearing-in ceremony, Chakwera said he had called Mutharika to congratulate him and to wish him well.
Chakwera said MCP accepted the results, which MEC admitted had some flaws but could not recount or audit because the law did not allow an extension of the period, with the heaviest of hearts and thanked all those who supported his party.
He said MCP believes it did not lose the election, but urged his supporters and all Malawians to move on, saying: “We now bow to the reality of the present situation and say let us move on. Let us keep peace. There can only be one President at a time.”
