Malawi Congress Party (MCP) deputy secretary general Gerald Kazembe has threatened to hit back at political opponents if the party’s supporters continue being attacked during the campaign period.
He said in an interview yesterday that MCP supporters were victims of recent political violence cases and accused opposition Democratic Progress Party (DPP) of being behind these attacks.
Kazembe claimed that on Saturday some MCP supporters from Machinga, Balaka and Zomba were attacked by DPP supporters at Ulongwe Trading Centre in Balaka on their way from Mangochi where President Lazarus Chakwera launched the party’s manifesto and official campaign in the Eastern Region.
“While we have reported this matter to police, we are going to retaliate if this continues,” he said.
But Kazembe was elusive when asked to substantiate his claims that it was DPP supporters that attacked MCP supporters, retorting: “Are you serious? Stop reporting. Join politics.”
In his reaction, DPP secretary general Peter Mukhito distanced his party from the purported attacks.
He observed that MCP just wants to buy sympathy from voters, knowing that it is going out of government.
Liwonde Pol i ce St at i o n spokesperson Ngwashape Msume refused to comment on whether they received an official complaint from MCP on the alleged attacks.
She said Eastern Region Police spokesperson Patrick Musa was better placed to comment on issues to do with politics. But Musa could not pick up his mobile phone on several attempts.
The sentiments come at time there are calls for action against perpetrators of political violence.
