1 Police officer confirmed killed in Lilongwe violence ahead of Mutharika rally

Malawi police has confirmed that one cop has been killed  in Lilongwe’s Msundwe Trading Centers where there were reported clashes between locals and the law enforcers  after residents rose up against President Peter Mutharika’s political rally in the capital city.

The social media is awash with the picture of the police officer lying on the ground in full police uniform.

National Police spokesperson James Kadadzera has confirmed that the police officer who was severely beaten by the residents has died of head injuries.

Kadadzera, however, could not give more details.

The violence comes barely days after political commentators asked Mutharika to suspend the political rally in view of the political instability in the central region following the highly disputed elections.

A journalist who is currently at Nsundwe says the irate people have blocked the road from Lilongwe to Mchinjiforcing road users especially Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) supporters from traveling to Lilongwe where President Mutharika is expected to hold a rally in Kawale Township.

“They say they have blocked the road to prevent people from travelling to the rally venue,” said the journalist.

Police had to chase the rioters to nearby villages while firing teargas cannisters but the youthful protesters kept regrouping and fought back with stones, saying chanting  “revolution time”.

Mutharika will hold the political rally at Kamuzu Institute for Youth in Kawale after launching the construction of US funded 250 secondary schools.

The government and the DPP  are going ahead with the preparations for the rally this afternoon despite the violence at Nsundwe.