DPP justifies political violence against MCP at Chilembwe memorial:  ‘We’re ruling Malawi’

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has accused Malawi Congress Party (MCP) supporters of provoking political violence which occurred during memorial prayers for Reverend John Chilembwe at the Providence Industrial Mission (PIM) in Chiradzulu on Sunday, saying they don’t accept that President Peter Mutharika and DPP are the one ruling the country.

A security detail of MCP president Lazarous Chakwera was severely injured with his figure slashed by panga wielding DPP Youth Cadets and was rushed to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, according to MCP deputy secretary general Eisenhower Mkaka.

Mkaka  speaking on Times Talk phone in program aired on Times Radio  Monday evening that DPP attacked MCP members at the function, accusing them of putting on their party regalia when the ruling party members also wore their party cloths.

“Actually the DPP target was Chakwera but out security detail had to whisk him away. This is when they pounced on one of the body guard and cut his figure, He was hacked in the head. He is badly wounded as they wanted to kill him,” said Mkaka.

But DPP spokesman Francis Kasaila, who is also Foreign Affairs Minister, also speaking on Times Talk accused MCP of being disrespectful to the governing party

“MCP is still in denial. They must accept that President Mutharika is ruling. We have one leader at a time,” said Kasaila.

He said MCP should humble themselves and accept they are opposition and not behave larger-than-life as if they have mandate to govern.

Kasaila said DPP will still pip MCP in next elections and that they will remain an opposition party because they had perpetrated too much atrocities when they ruled the country in one party dictatorship for 31 years.

But Mkaka shot back, saying Malawi is a democracy and that DPP has no absolute power to abuse people’s liberty.

He said violence is a sign DPP is in serious panic mode over its failure to handle the economy and widespread accusation of corruption in which they are just shielding its members from facing the law.

“The DPP is getting worried and paranoid with each passing day over its misrule, corruption scandal after scandal and fears the situation might trigger uprisings,” Mkaka said.

According to eye-witnesses, the scuffle started when some DPP supporters were intimidating MCP supporters—who were clad in party colours and had accompanied Chakwera— for “encroaching on DPP’s territory”.

The service started with laying of wreaths by Mutharika, cabinet ministers, Chakwera, representatives of the church and family members among others.