Activists condemn DPP attack on post-election protesters: ‘Malawi sliding into dangerous spiral of impunity’
Several human rights activist and commentators on Wednesday warned authorities against letting the country degenerate into a state of lawlessness after members of the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) youth wing—commonly referred to as cadets— attacked Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) official Billy Mayaya and others who were injured.
Governance expert Makhumbo Munthali, rights activist Charles Kajoloweka and legal expert Ralph Kasambara went on chorus in their social media posts to condemns the savage attacks.
“Saying it without fear or favour, the disruption to the HRDC demos and an assualt on human rights defender Billy Mayaya by the ruling party DPP Cadets was clearly systematic and organised by those in high echelons of the DPP in the Southern Region,” Munthali said.
He argued that there was a “political endorsement” to the “barbaric” from what he called enemies of democracy.
DPP operatives were captured in video clips when they attacked protesters who were passing by Trade Fair Grounds in the city where Agriculture Minister Kondwani Nankhumwa was opening the National Agriculture Fair.
The protesters were on their way to Mounth Soche Hotel where the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) was hosting an annual conference of the electoral commissions in Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries and they were going to present a petition to demand MEC Chairperson, Jane Ansah, to step down.
DPP supporters blocked the road and the two sides started pelting stones to each other before the Cadets armed with sharp objects and pangas attacked the protesters injuring many including renowned human rights activist, Mayaya who has been severely hacked on the head.
Mayaya was rushed to Queen Elizabeth’s Central Hospital in Blantyre and later he later posted a picture on his Facebook account with a caption; “after being attacked by stones and an iron bar”.
Youth and Society (YAS) executive director Charles Kajoloweka observed that Malawi;s democracy is under threat with political violence supported by the regim.
“We have a government which long decided it is there to serve and protect its few,” said Kajoloweka.
He said hiring thugs to attack people exercising their democratic right is no peace.
“For months now, Malawi is sliding into a dangerous spiral of violence and impunity with attacks on opposition voices taking place daily. If we indeed claim to be as democratic as we say, reprisals against those holding dissenting views against the government should not be tolerated. The Police and all authorities should meet their human rights obligations,” Kajoloweka said.
In his pots, legal expert and former Attorney General Ralph Kasambara wrote that the “unthinkable happened” when DPP cadets were pelting the Malawi Judiciary headquarters during their barbaric acts.
“The fountain of Justice has been desecrated.What does that mean? They’ve no respect for the Judiciary?
“Several judicial officers were denied entry into the Courts building at Chichiri,” wrote Kasambara a senior counsel.
“I had a 10:00am court appearance. To avoid the cadets I decided to park my car at ShopRite and asked the driver to immediately drive away. Whilst walking to the Courts building the cadets started pelting at any car and pedestrian walking past old Stagecoach Buildings.
“Fortunately I saw a judicial officer frantically reversing. I unceremoniously jumped into it and apologized later for being an intruder or as it were unauthorized passenger. The officer simply laughed it off seeing the tense situation on the ground.
That is how I missed an important court appointment today. Courtesy of our zealous DPP cadets,” he wrote.
The HRDC and the opposition in Malawi have been holding demonstrations to force the MEC chairperson to resign for allegedly mismanaging the May 21 presidential election that saw president Peter Mutharika win.
Meanwhile, the opposition parties are contesting the May 21 presidential results in court and they are pushing for nullification of the results and that a rerun of the elections should be conducted.
President Mutharika recently told BBC that he could not fire Ansah on the given grounds and Ansah, too, told the local media that she would not resign “because the matter is in court.”
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
Muthalika stop the mayhem have you decided to join the former MCP. Killers? This is what Professors are being trained to follow? No Muthalika,you are a shaming Malawians and Africa as a whole.How would Malawians differentiate between you and Iddi Amini Dada?Apart from that,you are in the books of the most corrupt leaders in Africa.Malawians,you have seen now the results of welcoming Jim and jack in your country?
These so called activist a headless butch of shit dancing to the tune of their masters. How many times has the demonstrations destroyed pple’s properties and even injuring pple. Did they raised all these condemnations.
Ras Chikomeni’s house was burnt, did they made all these noise, the female Police officer who stripped naked, did they condemned in any way.
Even when Chiume was claiming damage for her property these activitists had the temerity to mock her as though she deserved whatever ordeal she went through.
Mwachidule, we are tired of these demoz. Mtambo and Trappence are too arrogant to listen to voice of reason. Nkhani ili ku court bwanji osadikila ithe kaye.
Kodi nanga a court akazagamula kuti chisankho chinayenda bwino azatani?
If cadets are sent by the DPP as Kasambala and his fellows claims then surely HRDC is a also serving the interest of MCP and UTM
paja warships anagula kale. amadziw a pitala kuti zinthu sizikhala bwino kuphonyetsa anacitaku.
kutionela mmadzi a mw.
HRDC organised demos have lost credibility. They can’t yield anything at this point in town. The organisers must be ashamed of themselves. As for Kasambara, he is another thug. He is not better than the so called DPP thugs. If I were him I would have just kept quite knowing that he had blood in his answer. No same Malawi can listen to him.
Kodi mademo ndi hrdc okha basi? No. Ndiposo achita bwino enawoso azibweza because aliso ndi mavuto awo. Hrdc imachita za dpp ndiposo dpp ili ndi anthu ndiye anthuwo akwiya.
Penapake ma Rights Activists ndinu osamva, all Demostrations mumalandira intel kuti muli DDP thugs coz sionse ma cadet amene angapange zaganyavu some of them are smart. Yesterdays demos, you could have just gone straight and give your petition or write the SADC people koma inu mwati ayi tiaonetse ..ndi izi akuonetsani! This is not America or Europe our Democracy is still young
Very disgraced and bias experts. A makhumbo Munthali always agrees with the opposition narrative, kasambara is murder convict, kajoloweka kkkkkkkkk I can laugh. Nanu a nyasa times why do you always rush for these disgraced expert opinions?
Akakhala Billy mayaya now he’s living proof that govt hospitals do have drugs after all. Therefore boma can proceed to build ma stadium a wanthu.
Its always shallow reasoning from your grouping!! From head to tail everybody is too empty like this………………………..!! I for one understand your group, the key reason is that many including the leaders in dpp were not in Malawi from 1992 to 1994 and don’t know the reasons why Malawians told Kamuzu, “out with your one party regime…………….. and voted multiparty…………………………….! Ingobwelerani kunja komwe munali mukutionongela dziko with your intoleranceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Wina akamabwera komwe ariko ndi aka sinja ake ngati general Aidi Mini kuti akupita ku war zone kkkkkk
You the Civil Society organizations why did you not condemn the violence done on our MDF soldiers in Karonga? Why did you not condemn the beating of Malawi Police staff ? Is it painful to be attacked? Billy Mayaya wopunduka mwendo iwe umatani pa gulu li? You could not manage to run away because of your leg. Look all your friends ran away and left you alone .Manganya, Kalindo, Ngumuya, Kunkuyu, Sembereka all sought refuge in the Baracks. Next time do not do it again because they will hack you more. I like this scenario because your demos are affecting our businesses in cities. Ma minibus athu akukanika kuyenda chifukwa cha Mtambo, Trapence, Mayaya and Sembereka.??? Akuchita bwino Mayaya wopunduka mwendo wa manzere iwe Ufera ndalama za madonors. Akakahala a Kasambara kodi mulipo? Are you still on bail? What were you going to do at the Court? Kukanyengelera ,majaji kuti asakhalire appeal case yako? Soon you will return to jail to serve your 15 years IHL. it disturbs me to see thus guy out of cell when his friends are languishing at Maula prison when you are enjoying with your family at Chirimba .
Therefore stop condemning the violence you Tumbukas .
DPP must have borrowed a leaf or two from the brutal Hutu regime in Rwanda. In Rwanda they started arming the youth militia, the Interahamwe with guns and matchetes. Then they systematically purged the army and the Police of the Tutsis and other undesirable elements replacing them with Hutus before they unleashed the terror that was to be known as the Rwandan Genocide. Is it only me that is seeing striking similarities with the DPP regime in Malawi?
The DPP is replacing the Police and other important institutions with Lhomwes and party die hards. The acting Inspector General of Police is a good example. It is reported they have recruited several cadets in the Police service. Is anyone surprised that after causing the havoc in Blantyre, the police were more that happy to provide security to these thugs parading in Blantyre streets when they never informed the Police of their intended march as required by law? If it were someone seen as opposing the DPP government, there is no way the police would have allowed the match to take place. HRDC has been having a hard time to have their matches permitted even after informing the police as required by law. Only God knows what kind of a country Malawi would have been if we did not have an independent judiciary.
Just like the Hutu government, DPP has armed its notorious cadets with guns and matchetes and these illiterate thugs are not afraid to show them off. But what do our police do, they look the other way. What the police and their baby thugs should know is that when enough is enough, people will react and when that happens there will be no hiding place for the cadets and their masters. Do the kind of Nankhumwa, Mchacha and Dausi know that after the Rwandan genocide not only the thugs were tried, but their masters as well? Mark my words, you shall be tried too. Dausi claims to be well read, he should know this. Malawi had mighty youth militias before. Talk of MYPs, youth league and Young Democrats, where are they now? The same fate awaits cadets. The only difference is that we will not just leave it there, we shall make sure that they answer for their crimes. Unlike those committed in the past when we did not have smart phones and other recording devices, the cadets atrocities are being recorded, police officers at the centre of it all are being recorded. It is only a matter of time.
Walemba zambiri koma Mtambo, Trapence, Chilima ndi Chakwela ukuona ngati zimene akupanga ndi zabwino? Foolish comment!!! If demos were not there could we not have peace and avoid loss of lives and property?. Enanu mumangolemba ma comments koma osapita ku mademoko mungonamiza anzanu.
Pathetic empty head. Very blind to reality. Can’t you see you are being used. The problem with people of your kind is that you are so willing to be used like tissues. Typical of an ass licker that you are. At the end of the day, ask yourself if you are better off by your blind support of your political masters. Go around all the country cities, make a survey of the themuthemus in our homes. Over 75% are from the Lhomwe belt. What do you think will happen to them should any strife happen in the country? The problem of having blue matter in your head instead of grey cannot be overemphasized.
My dear dzianthuzi ndi zokanika mapeto………… kwao malo okhala anatha kalekale pano dziili balalabalala ku Central and northern regions!! Nde m’malo moti azikumbukila zimenezi ndipo kuti akhoza kunzunzitsa abale awo amenewa ayi ndithu iwo zimenezo sakuziona……………………. kalongonda ndi tchopa zinalowa mu bongo!!
This kind of stupidity can only happen in Africa, especially in impoverished Malawi with majority dunderheads.
Protestors? My foot! Look at the protestors at Chichiri yesterday: Sidick Mia (loser from MCP), Kunkuyu (loser from MCP), Michae Usi (loser from UTM), Bon Kalindo (loser from UTM), Allan Ngumuya (loser from UTM), Billy Mayaya, McDonald Sembereka, boys from Msundwe, etc (all are HDRC paid up mercenaries of the losers MCP and UTM). Then look at the so-called “several human rights activists and commentators – Kasambava (cashgate convict, murder and ntumbuka), Mankhumbo Munthali (ntumbuka) and Charles Kajoloweka (ntumbuka) and then the writer (Wongani (ntumbuka). Is this plot, message and cause of the aggression not sufficiently clear? You bunch of fools and idiots comined wanted to put the ruling party to shame in front of SADC delegates and cause destruction in Blantyre of the magnitude or even greater than they have caused in Lilongwe. I bet this will never happen. And consider to never return to the upper stadium at Chichiri to re-start you impunity and stupidity. We the Malawians of Blantyre are locked and loaded. We will deal with you decisively to jealously protect our beautiful and dust-free city. We are ready for you lock stock and smoking barrels!
The fact that people belong to political parties does not stop them participating in what ordinary Malawians are doing………………………..!! Inu lanu ndi tsankho basi, and no wonder you are always concerned on who is saying what!! In you, Malawi belongs to Lhomwes, bwelani ku LLs muone, the game is not over until it will be over!! 6 million chewas can never sit phwiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii watching 1.5 million Lhomwe causing havoc in central region, mwayamba nokha, tiye nazoni ndi a police anuwoooooooooooooooooooo
Yes, politicians also have right to demonstrate. But they should not hide behind HRDC. Let them organise their own, and we will meet in the streets.
What can Ralph say of substance if he himself is out on bail for murder? Why cant this fool learn to be quit at times and realise he is no longer valid?
Mwamucita bwino olo mukanangomaliza amasokoneza Malawi wa mtendere muzithana nawo chonco zimatinyansa zimene amacita iwo za ma demo azikacita ndi akazi ndi ana awo.
It was indeed an organised barbaric attack right from the trade fair ground show.The Police and Cadets had a meeting there and advised the cadets to be in front and beat up all front liners of HRDC and the minister and other top officials disputed K20,000.00 to each police officers and K10000.00 to each cadet. I overheard one police officer talking to one female cadet that ZISILU ZIJA ZA MDF ZILI PARKED IN TOWN DOWN BLANTYRE MAKAPE. Today you are with police only we chased them in one meeting and told them that AKULOWERERA NTCHITO ZA ENI AKE KU KOSOVO ANGOLIRAKO.
kodi a kasambala milandu yanu siinathe muli pa bail paja oke lero mukukhala ngati openya koma nthawi yonsei mmene ena amamenyedwa simumanena kanthu
WHAT ABOUT THOSE PEOPLE WHO LOST PROPERTY AND BUSINESS DURING PREVIOUS DEMOSTRATATIONS BY PROTESTERS ?
WHAT ABOUT THOSE PEOPLE WHOSE HOUSES WERE SET ABLAZE BY PROTESTERS? THE LIKES OF CHIKOMENI.
SO WHERE WERE THESE ACTIVISTS TO CONDEMN DEMOSTRATIONS?
NOW YOU ARE TALKING SIMPLY BECAUSE ITS ONE OF HRDC AFFECTED ?
SHAME ON YOU..
YOU HAVE GOT NO SPACE IN DEMOCRACY WITH YOUR BRAINLESS POINT
BUT YOU MR LEGO YOU HAVE SPACE??? GO TO JUPITER AND STAY THERE ALONE!!! OTHERWISE DPP CADETS OR DPP SUPPOTERS HAVE ALL THE RIGHTS TO DEMONSTRATE AS WELL!!! THEY ARE MALAWIANS TOO!!!
Okeyyy so HRDC is for Tumbuka etii.Khumbo Munthali Mtumbuka,Charles kajoloweka Mthumbuka and Ralph Kasambala.Komanso a Kasambala anatha atamutengetsa Joyce Banda.Mbava yakupha ngati imeneyi ingalankhulepo chiyani yapa!!A Billy Bayaya ngosamva.1 He is physically challenged,he couldn’t run away to help himself>Anzawo achina Smbereka ,Michael Usi,Moses Kunkuyu,Bon kalindo ndi Sidick Mia anakabisala ku MDF Camp.And for sure the Police will never protect HRDC with the opposition.They called the police all sorts of names in appraisal of MDF.Lero nde aziti a Police saanatithandize kkk.Kwasala Mtambo,Gift Trapence ,Chilima and Chakwera on this now kkkk
Mbuzi
“ACTIVISTS”! I never heard these so called activists condemning the protesters’ attack on the army officers, police officers, banks, private businesses across the cities etcetera! Wake up Africa, wake up Malawi! The Whiteman induced self hatred on Africans will take us nowhere! Let us learn to love one another. Let us learn to be tolerant to one another, not these double standards
Philosopher without knowledge,shame!So excited to be oppressed with fools such as OSMAN JOMA hence you call yourself Philosopher.
Stupid activits u don’t know what u are talking about. We are tired of these demonstrations u are organizing now and then . Tit for tat. Ma cadets more fire please
When did you ever condemn the thug regime of this government?
a DPP ndi boma lanu mwafikapo ife tilibe nanu mawu , pangani nafe icho mufuna koma mudziziwa kuti kuli Mulungu wamakamu amene anatulutsa Israel muukapolo ku Egypt.
Foolish and biased analysts, all along you haven’t condemned the mayhem which your so-called activists have orchestrated on innocent people and businesses, Tumbuka mindset,agalu osavinidwa
When demonstrators attacked Police and Army what did Munthali(MCP) Kasambala(PP) Kajoloweka (opposition activist) said?I did not hear about their statement.Now galu waluma mbuzi sichoncho?.After all we have visitors u want to go koz problems thus not Malawian and its ultimate disrespect to the government and people who voted for it.What do u xpect?This violence could have been avoided but these demonstrations R systematic and from high echelons of disgruntled Opposition losers , X convicts, paid out fake opposition activists ,etc. Now if u want to fight for ur cause just be prepared for war because 12,000,000 people did not vote they R minding their bzneses but a group of 3,000,000 thinks is the loudest in Malawi, now people R fed up and R ready to fight back. Dont cry.Kasambala u talk about judicial officers why can’t u tell ur people issue of elections is at the court and R disrespecting the court for not waiting for court judgement? U see how useless uR? U have nothing to say&offer just go to hell. Unaba mokwanila usatinyase convict iwe! DPP ended ur career together with ur mother Joyce Banda .Who doesn’t know u have a pathological grudge against DPP?
Musanamizire DPP kuti ndie ikufuna kuyambitsa ziwawa ndinu a HRDC amene munayambitsa ndipo mukupitiriza ziwawa. You the so called political commentators and journalist why are you so quick to condem DPP when it does something wrong but bury your head in the sand when the opposition/hrdc does the same. Is it not only last week when hrdc/utm/MCP supporters injured a lot of state security officers during running battles in Mzuzu/Karonga? Did you say anything?
Now let me tell you leave southern region and Blantyre alone because it belongs to DPP just as DPP is avoid any provocative activities in your stronghold central and northern regions. Mmati mmaimira a Malawi nde akugendani dzulo ndi maBurundi kapena maTaifa?
The writing is on the wall gentleman people are fed up with your demos and want to move on. Just accept you have failed to remove Jane Ansah and may be try to visit Mozambique sangomas to help you rejuvenate your faltering election court case.
Spot On
When protestors were burning whatever fell into their path..it was not anarchy.When they demanded money as a free way payment..that’s not anarchy..What is wrong with these analysis. Even Ralph Kasambara has the balls to tell us what rights are?
Mwawina kumeneko makadeti azanu akulilongwe mwapezere mayendedwe munyera mukhaula..agalu adpp
The title of this article should have been “Atumbuka Kasambava, Mankhumbo Munthali and Kajoloweka condemn the stupid HRDC impunity at Chichiri* by Wongani Ciuta. Clearly, Wongani is also ntumbuka. The people of Blantyre yesterday refused the maimings and terror of HRDC with success and victory. They should actually be hailed and praised for this.
You are always against Atumbuka because they are so intelligent that you fools.Moreover they are brave than you cowards who are just there to be hand clappers even bad things
Kkkkkk intelligence yake iti. Timakuposani mkalasi agalu inu.
ma activists inu ndi zitsiru ndithu . mwakhala mulu chete osayankhulapo chilichonse pamene katundu wakhala akuonongedwa anthu kumwedwa ndi athu a ma demo wa. lero mukuyankhulapo chifukwa chakuti zatembenuka fotseki
Kkkkkk kodi a Kasambara ayamba kukhala munthu wabwino lero? Has he forgotten how he terrorised people with his boys the likes of Gada et all? Has he forgotten that he remains a convict for unleashing high violence? The society will never trust this guy.
I absolutely do not support any form of violence but where were these voices when people in Lilongwe were being robbed? When MDF soldiers were attacked? The lack of consistency in our messages waters down the effect. WE SHOULD NEVER SUPPORT VIOLENCE REGARDLESS OF WHO THE PERPETRATORS ARE PERIOD.
SPOT ON. ACTIVISTS SHOULD NOT BE SELECTIVE IN THEIR ACTIVISM. A SPADE SHOULD BE A SPADE REGARDLESS OF WHO IS CARRYING IT
Amangwetu…..look at who the so-called commentators are. Kasambava – a convicted cashgate mafiosso whowanted to kill Mphwiyo over the sharing of money stolen from state coffers, munthali and kaloloweka. The common denominator is that onse atumbuka opusa ndipo aDHYERRA. The muburundi led HRDC have terrorised Lilongwe, looted and stolen, burnt, pelted and maimed citizens with the endless and stupid demos. Lilongwe today bears scars of this idiocy and impunity which has breached the rights of millions, including their rights to make incomes own property and live peaceful lives. And you wanted the same to happen to Blantyre? Never. Bravo Blantyre vendors clad in DPP colours for stopping this nonsensical impunity in its track. Congratulations for the victory in the battle of Chichiri.
Nyasatimes ndi Zodiac you think kumenyedwa kwa Mayaya is an issue here. Why was Nyasa and Zodiac not concern about the wounded Army in Karonga? Nyasatimes ndi Zodiac always mukukolezela moto whenever HRDC, MCP and UTM are putting our country at standstill and become happy. Now you have interviewed your crooks and call them “several activists” a waste of wring. Can we trust Kasambala and his fellow crooks mention in the story. Why not interview real personalities who love our nation? HRDC yapwetekesa anthu Ku Karonga ndi Lilongwe inunso Nyasa and Zodiac mukufuna kupwetekesa HRDC, MCP ndi UTM members/supporters. The truth is that we are tired of these demos. Our businesses/property are badly affected because of these crooks while they are enjoying their evil money. It could have been better if Mayaya died so that it could be a lesson to these other crooks who only think about their bellies in the name of human rights. Mind you, Jane Ansah also has her rights which are supposed to be respected. “To solve a problem you have to recognize your share of responsibility. If you only blame the others, you will never solve the problem.”
MUNYA A HRDC SIMUNATI. MUKUONA NGATI MUMAPANGA ZABWINO. NEXT TARGET IS NTAMBO. TRAPENCE, CHILIMA AND CHAKWERA. MWATIKWANA AGARU INU
Mumafuna HRDC ndiyomwe idzimenya anthu apolice,ndi ma soja omwe etiii? DPP ikabwezera zoyankhula wawawa.sitinati tidanena kale kut tilibeso bt wina ndiyemweyu nde zoguba guba ndikomweko kulilongwe kapena ku mpoto osati bt mufelako kuno
Its not impunity but we have had enough of these stupid demonstrations. We voted and it is time to work and we can not be on the streets always. The irony of it all is that most people who are participating in the demonstration are like headless chickens who just follow. HRDC are on pay roll while people like Chilima, Chakwera or USI are either enjoying their retirement money . These demonstrations should be held in the centre and north because that is where people like them while here in the south we want to start working our gardens and doing our business.
Good points Tung’ande! Demos should not be imposed by the idiots in areas where Malawians are not angry of anything and do not want them. Otherwise the people are right in stopping these stupid and disruptive demos.
We will stone the plane that will come with the President from UNGA
Don’t dare
Mukwanitsa koma aChriss kkkkkkkk