Inspector General (IG) of Police Merlyne Yolamu has faulted organisers of demonstrations for failing to postpone protests that saw armed gangs assaulting protesters in Lilongwe last month in full view of the police.
The IG noted that if organisers of the demonstrations had accepted Lilongwe district commissioner Lawford Palani’s request to reschedule the planned demonstration and vigils due to Malawi Police Service’s other engagements, such incidents could have been avoided.
She was speaking in an interview when she presided over the Sexual Offences and Child Protection for First Responders training closing ceremony in Blantyre on Friday.
The IG said at the time of the protest march, led by civil rights group Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (Cdedi), police were busy with a presidential event.
“So, people should understand that when you say, ‘can you postpone’, it is not that we are [refusing to cooperate], but we want to protect the people that are demonstrating and also people that are doing their businesses in town.”
She further indicated that police have so far arrested some suspects in connection with the violence, but she could not disclose their identities and how many they are.
In an interview yesterday, Cdedi executive director Sylvester Namiwa said his organisation has written Yolamu to disclose the identities of people that have been arrested.
“By coming out in the open to say that they have made an arrest, this has just ignited the interest of Malawians to know who these people are. In fact, we have given her 48 hours to disclose their identity because we would like to believe that those suspects are in custody,” he said.
Namiwa also said Cdedi will issue a statement on the demonstrations’ way forward.
During the ugly scenes, police officers fired tear gas at the protesters while masked assailants threw stones and wielded knives, sticks, and iron bars in full view of law enforcers.
Protesters were planning to hold vigil at Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) premises in protest against the electoral body and National Registration Bureau’s (NRB) leadership as well as the use of Smartmatics information and communication technology election management system, among others.
