The governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has called on all citizens who suffered attacks over the past five years not to retaliate, but let the law take its course.
Party spokesperson Shadric Namalomba made the remarks in an interview yesterday following incidents that occurred last week in Blantyre where two men were assaulted in Limbe Market and Makhetha in Blantyre on allegations that they attacked vendors during the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) administration.
Namalomba warned that any disregard of the law will not be tolerated and those who commit such acts will face severe consequences.
Said Namalomba: “This is the new DPP, and we expect all citizens to adhere fully to the laws of this country. There won’t be any sacred cows this time.”
In a video widely shared on social media, one of the men was shown sitting as a narrator accused him of attacking people in Limbe Market with a knife. In another video, the same man appears with cuts on his face and bloodstains on his shirt while apologising.
Another man was pictured in handcuffs while flanked by Bangwe-Mtopwa councillor-elect Isaac Osman and others. Additional pictures showed the same man with a swollen face, suggesting he had been assaulted.
In an interview yesterday, Osman confirmed that the two were suspected members of a group that harassed people in Limbe during the MCP administration.
Said Osman: “I was the one who pleaded with the mob not to beat up the suspects, but to hand them over to police because their alleged crimes were already reported to the law enforcers.”
On why one suspect appeared handcuffed, Osman said it was the police who handcuffed him and the two suspects were taken to Limbe Police Station.
When contacted yesterday, Limbe Police Station spokesperson Aubrey Singanyama referred The Nation to South West Region Police spokesperson Beatrice Mikuwa who asked for more time to gather information.
Meanwhile, security analyst Sherriff Kaisi yesterday urged the police to apprehend anyone causing havoc.
Commenting on the matter, political analyst Wonderful Mkhutche said people should not be allowed to take advantage of the change in government to inflict vengeance on others.
Last month, there were also clashes in Limbe between callboys linked to DPP and those associated with MCP over the “ownership” of bus and minibus terminals popularly known as migodi at Hardware, Okhai, Kapenga, Petroda and bus depot.
