DPP demands PP apology on Mulanje house torching: Police say it was an accident
Opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has demanded the ruling People’s Party (PP) secretary general Paul Maulidi to apologize after the police revealed that the fire that burnt down two houses in Mulanje belonging to PP supporters was due to an accident.
Earlier this month, PP through its deputy publicity secretary, Kenson Msonda issued a statement accusing DPP of hiring thugs to torch the houses belonged to Mulanje central constituency members, Pilani Chimpembeli and Alice Julio both from Sapuwa Village, T/A Chikumbu in the district.
And Mulanje police have revealed that, based on investigations and statements from the victims, the said houses were torched to ashes accidentally.
Mulanje police spokesperson, James Dadzera told the local media that nobody can be prosecuted pertaining to the incident since it was an accident.
The law-enforcers’ official proclamation on the matter has forced DPP top demand an apology from PP, arguing its statement on the matter was misleading and aimed at tarnishing the party’s image.
DPP deputy publicity secretary, Bon Kalindo said in an interview that DPP was surprised with PP’s accusations, which were not substantiated as to whether it was indeed DPP that masterminded the incident.
“It’s better that its police who have clearing the mist. It will be therefore, proper for PP to retract its statement in its entirety and offer apology on the same because the nation was forced to believe that DPP burnt down innocent people’s houses, when did not,” said Kalindo.
In his comments, acting secretary general, Paul Maulidi told Nyasa Times that the party was not ready to comment on the issue until it has read the official police report.
Maulidi, however, said PP already distanced itself from the statement that was made by one of its National Executive Committee (NEC) members, Msonda and that it would advise him to offer the apology instead.
Last week, DPP president Professor Peter Mutharika denounced the torching of two houses and urged police to bring perpetrators to book before distancing his party from the incident.
