Mutharika protests army, police raid

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Peter Mutharika today protested the raid on his private residences in Lilongwe’s Area 10 and 43 houses by the police and army, saying it is a threat to democracy.

Speaking to the press at his Nyambadwe house in Blantyre, Mutharika said his guards refused the security forces entry because they had no search warrant.

Said Mutharika: “They came around 10am, but my security officers denied them entry. This is a serious threat to democracy since the army and police are supposed to protect and not intimidate citizens.”

He dismissed reports that the invasion was made to quell a rigging centre Mutharika and DPP were allegedly running.

“That is not true,” he said. “It was just our [DPP] tally centre, licenced by the Electoral Commission. Other parties, observers and civil society organisations have similar centres.”