Mutharika regrets July 20 killings, tells north ‘that will never happen again’
The opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has agains said the incidents that led to the death of about 20 people the July, 2011 anti- DPP regime demonstrations should never have happened, promising that there will no killings once elected to rule the country in 2014.
Mutharika said this at Jenda Rural Growth Centre on Monday during one of his many scheduled whistle stop tours of the northern region.
He is also expected to visit Chitipa, Karonga, Rumphi and Nkhata Bay Central Constituency.
In 2012, Mutharika openly apologized for the slayings that occurred during nationwide demonstrations against the then Bingu wa Mutharika led government on the deteriorating economic and governance situation in which 20 people were killed country wide.
“Pepani, they were accidents but that should not happen again,” Mutharika told a public rally he held in Mzuzu at upper stadium in December 2012.This was the first and time the then ruling party had officially apologized under its new leader Peter Mutharika.
Former President Bingu wa Mutharika never apologized for the atrocities the Malawi Police committed under his rule on unarmed civilians instead he branded victims as “thieves and looters.”
At the Jenda, 45 minutes meeting, the DPP torch bearer said he is surprised that DPP is still strong in the northern region.
“I was told DPP has no presence here but am happy that what I had heard were all lies,” Mutharika said.
DPP regional governor for the north Kenneth Sanga claimed the northern region is still the home of DPP.
“The party is very strong here. Those parties that claimed have reclaimed the region are now plundering government resources. In 2014 DPP will rule again,” Sanga said.
