Police faulted on violence

Malawi Police Service has come under the spotlight again over its handling of cases of political violence with Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) and others urging the law enforcers to bring to book perpetrators regardless of affiliation.

The calls have resurfaced following the case of violence in Bangwe Township, Blantyre on June 18 by suspected Malawi Congress Party (MCP) supporters who attacked innocent people near Desert Ground, the venue of the party’s rally. Weeks earlier, MCP youths were also involved in a scuffle with their UTM Party counterparts in full view of police on the sidelines of the official opening of Malawi Bureau of Standards office complex and laboratory in Blantyre.

By Friday, police were yet to arrest suspects in the Bangwe incident where four people, including one woman, were hacked by the youth in MCP regalia.

Speaking in an interview on Thursday MHRC director of civil and political rights Peter Chisi said it was a matter of national concern when human rights violations and criminal actions go unpunished.

He asked police to act professionally in dealing with such cases by investigating all cases of violence and bring to book all the perpetrators regardless the party they are affiliated to.

Said Chisi: “If police fail to act on reported cases, then institutions such as MHRC and the Independent Complaints Commission can intervene.

“We should also reiterate our call to political parties to discipline their youths and use them as instruments of peace, not instruments of terror.”

He also asked the public to report cases of political violence to police for easy follow-ups and accountability.

In a separate interview, Mzuzu University Security Studies lecturer Aubrey Kabisala said historically, Malawi Police employ double standards when handling some political violence cases.

He observed that the police fail to handle with objectivity political violence cases connected to parties in government.

“There is political interference from police and you will find that some of the perpetrators are connected to the President which causes security dilemma,” said Kabisala.

South West Police Region Deputy spokesperson Beatrice Mikuwa said investigations in the Bangwe incident were still underway and that no one has been arrested in connection with the matter.

But she could not indicate how long the law enforcers will take to conclude their investigation.

“Our officers are still on the ground to establish what really happened and who the suspects are, before effecting the arrest,” said Mikuwa.

On the other hand, National Police spokesperson Peter Kalaya in a separate interview said it was too early to start blaming the police for not effecting arrests in the Bangwe incident.

He said: “When the issue has been reported, it is investigated. So, the timeframe of the investigation depends on the nature of the cases.

“The incident happened last Saturday which is just about three days since it happened. Give the police ample time to do its job.”

Meanwhile, in a statement dated June 21 2023, signed by its spokesperson Shadric Namalomba, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)has condemned MCP for allegedly failing to take action against the attacks.

DPP said the attack was “uncalled for, primitive and with no stand in modern democracy”.

But in its response, MCP, through a statement signed by its spokesperson Ezekiel Ching’oma, dismissed the involvement of its members in the violence.

He said MCP is a party that follows the rule of law and that any issues of violence which hinge on breaking the law are left in the hands of police and other law-enforcing agencies to handle.

“Therefore, associating the MCP with the alleged recent political violence, of which the party is not even not aware of, is trying to score cheap political gains as there is no evidence linking those who allegedly perpetrated the violence to MCP,” reads the statement in part.

Police have had challenges arresting perpetrators of violence connected to governing parties since the dawn of democracy through the June 14 1993 National Referendum.

In 2018, some suspected DPP supporters torched two UTM Party vehicles in Mangochi, hours after the party held a rally at St Augustine 3 Primary School ground in the district.

On the other hand, in June 2019, police arrested about 52 people in connection with post-election violence. The suspects were connected to opposition parties.

Former Police Inspector General Rodney Jose asked Police officers-in-charge to take action without fear of any political party when incidences of political violence occur.

His call came amid criticism from various stakeholders that police were acting slowly in arresting and prosecuting perpetrators of political violence largely believed to be from the then governing DPP.