Bloody Malawi independence celebrations: Mutharika condemns poor crowd control
As the prayers marking 53 years of independence celebrations were getting to its climax at Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe, the mood was suddenly dampened with news that eight people had died while making their way into Bingu National Stadium (BNS).
The sad news started filtering in as mere rumours mainly through the social media, later developed into a true but painful story, and when Chairperson for the officiating clergy during the prayers, Dr Timothy Nyasulu, came on the podium to make the announcement, the BNS auditorium which was packed to the brim went into total silence.
“Am sorry to interrupt the flow of our programme here, I have some very unfortunate news which has just reached us. We have received a report that 42 of our brothers and sisters who were entering the stadium at BNS in area 49 have been injured and eight have died,” said Dr Nyasulu.
It was at this point that people started believing the images that had come through on many people’s phones depicting people, mainly children lying unconscious as security personnel and other civilians tried to offer help of different types.
The BNS was the venue for a football match between Silver Strikers and Big Bullets as an extension to the independence anniversary celebrations and President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika was to be guest of honour.
With the turnout of events, immediately after the prayers at BICC, President Professor Mutharika was forced to rush to Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) to visit the victims of the tragedy where he described the development as very shocking and unfortunate.
“The innocent souls we have lost today wanted to be part of our independence celebrations. I am so saddened that they have lost their lives on a day like today and some have been hospitalized here like we have just seen. I promise the bereaved families and other victims of government’s support in this time of need,” said the President.
At KCH, the President who visited the casualty ward, High Dependence Unit and the Mortuary further said this should be the last time for a thing of similar nature to happen.
“Going forward, I think relevant authorities should make sure that this does not happen again. Those are modern structures whose designs are very much accommodating. We should make sure all proper and safety procedures are followed when people are entering the stadium,” he said.
According to one clinician at KCH, the hospital has received a total of 65 cases plus the 8 who have died. At the time of the visit some were in the ICU while others were treated as outpatients. From the eight who have died, there is one adult male, one girl while the rest are boys.
As a result of the incident at BNS, the President changed his earlier plans of being present at the stadium and he instead delegated minister responsible for Sports Henry Mussa to be there on his behalf.
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I cry for these kids! I cry I cry. May the good Lord let their souls rest in eternity and allow them enjoy the other life. Amen
no gd for such a thing to happen on such a day. May the grace of our God confort the affected families and Mother Malawi.
I think in all circumstances, issues of this nature are supposed to be investigated, enquiries be commissioned and perhaps demotions and prosecutions to follow on those policemen, but as i know this will never happen and we will be told to pray to God, as if God was responsible for the safety of the victims. Such way of dealing things gives me the courage to say that this will not be the last time we lose enocent lives in such a manner.
The President should be commended for his gesture to go to the hospital. He did what every father would do in these circumstances. I am not a DPP functionary nor a supporter but we need to respect the timely and honourable position the Commander in Chief took here. Let us not just blame the President every time. You will recall that his brother never bothered to do so when 20 or so innocent lives were gunned down by these same cops in Mzuzu. Instead he called them “thieves”. In my view this President is human and needs to be commended.
Apart from training, let the police acquire necessary equipment for crowd control. training alone cannot solve things, its like training a surgion without without proper surgical equipment in the theartre. Provide them with water canons that are less harmful and some helicopters which am told they had in early 90s. They should not be trained by the western or americans lets train them using african expetise because we share the same experiences, terrain infrastructure, human behaviour, equipment and many more. Unlike the west where people behave completely different. But all the same its a very bad experience. But for some people who were there say that whe the gate was forcefull broght down its when the satpeed started rendering some people to fall on the groung and the rest went on to step on those that fell thats when the police fired teargas to stop others to keep on flocking in so as to rescue those who were already victims. Otherwise some on lookers say without dispersing these other people with teargas more lives would have been lost. so i dont know which is which. There is need for an intensive investigation starting from what time the gates were supposed to be opened, who kept the keys, and what the organisers agreed and broadcasted on the radio as regards the function time at the stadium in relation to the time the incident happened. Everybody wishes this never happens in malawi again. Let us all take collective responsibility, from organisers, police, parents, and every individual, to guard against our very one precious lives. The right to life is absolute, but we have to jealously guard against it. We die today, we die for all, we can fault someone bet that life will never come again. So fingerpointing will not solve things as our beloved leader has always said. Let us all be responsible for our lives and other peoples lives.
Apart from training, let the police acquire necessary equipment for crowd control. training alone cannot solve things, its like training a surgion without without proper surgical equipment in the theartre. Provide them with water canons that are less harmful and some helicopters which am told they had in early 90s. They should not be trained by the western or americans lets train them using african expetise because we share the same experiences, terrain infrastructure, human behaviour, equipment and many more. Unlike the west where people behave completely different. But all the same its a very bad experience.
BNS is in Area 48 not 49
It is sad but they leaped the fruits of a failling gvmnt. Pipo should know the consequences of these kind of gatherings by now. We are in a new failling era, if you have nothing to do its simple just go to bed where ever you are then you will be spared. Yes let us accuse the police for being puppets for the gvmnt egos, but going to such places is owns choices, so why branding them stupidity when its your choice? So far as l am concrrned anything they can do is stupit in the end. Get well soon to all in hospitals,sorry to learn in a stupid way. I hope it is a lesson to everyone safety first. Moyo sagula wawa! I thought an enquiry would follow headed by Our own honourable disputed Jijo Chaponda but no, This life loss is not worthy to them
Rulers, no accountability nothing! Ka $ ka bonya kaja kakhala trans p ya hospur kukona matenda that could be avoided! Sorry next time watch out guys let us think about our houses caz nobody will on our behalf!
Izi ndiye zochititsa manyazi 52 years sizinachitikepo apa zaonetseratu kuti olamulira made a wrong decision of not opening the gates on time as has been the case all these other years anthu amakagona ku stadium ngati panali malo anthu ena adakawasiyira apa mdziko mwachitika ngati tonse sitiganiza chifukwa ngozi sinayenera kuchitika someone has to answer as to why the gates were not opened up to that late hour. This is serious issue those in authority take action NO ONE SHOULD BE ABOVE THE LAW AMENE ADALAMULA KUTI MAGETI ASATSEKULIDWE MSANGA AMENEYO WAPHETSA ANA NDI MUNTHU WAMKULU NDI KUVULALITSA ENA OSALAKWA SHOULD FACE THE LAW
Its sad to loose a child like this please Mr. President do something on our these so called policemen. Are they trained to kill or protect.
This so called Police officers were the enemies of Joyce Banda when she openly criticized their stupid dealings. Here they are now enjoying the current administration. Innocent lives lost when cerebrating. Very sad and shameful. May their Souls Rest in Eternal Peace
Where are the so called human rights activists?
The human rights activists were the first to condemn this babaric incident. Mugonapamhanya, are you really in Malawi, do you read newspapers, do you listen to the radio, do you watch TV? Big up man!
This must questioned! teach our police officers good manners.
Make sure this must not repeat!
kodi stethoscope ndi an alternative for a uniform? Our clinicians can’t even take heed that a state president is visiting and at least ensure that they wear a uniform of some kind. At least the nurses were in a uniform.
Should the clinicians wear full uniform only when the state president is visiting the hospitals? I think your name indeed speaks volumes of what you really are….Mavuto!
Let us look into this issue with sobber minds before we start blaming people or organisations. Malawians need to learn to be civilised. Why scramble to enter into a stadium as if the game was already on? were these people going in to watch the game or do what as early as that. In all these circumstances yopu have cited, We the malawians have contributed to our own fate. People go into the stadium with so many different motives. Let us treat these facilities as our own and be patient enough wqhen we are told at what time the gates would be open otherwise we will keep on blaming police or whoever at the expence of our own lives
Wrong my frien. The police should know the society they save. This is not the first time we have celebrated our independeCy. The gates should have opened earier, say 6 am to allow free entry period. Our organisers error ed and should draw lessons from this. May be we need to get the right people for these jobs based on merit not political lean age.
May their souls rest in eternal peace
Nkhani yomvetsa chisoni kwambiri,zinazi tisamunamizile devil.
A Yusuf ndikuyamikeni potifunsila mafunso anzeru,talekani naneso ndifuseko kuti:
1. Enafe sindife a Police ndipo ntchito zachitetezo sitimazidziwa,koma tadabwa kuti tiye gas wachani pamene anthu akusangalala komaso pali ana ambiri?
2. Kodi panalibe nyira ina yopewela zimeneziiii? Kodi anthuwa/anawa ampanga ma demo?
3. Zoonadi vuto lina ndi nthawi yotsegulira ma gate,inu ma organisers a independence chinavuta ndi chani kuti mutsekule ma gate mu nyengo yabwino,yokwanila kuti anthuwa azilowa mwaufulu pang’onopang’ono asakanganile kulowaaaaa???
4.Inu a commanding officer a Police,what criteria do you use to advise anyamata anu kuti pamalo pavuta ndipo anthuwa athileni tiye gas? do you just do this out of fun or what? Kapene mumakhala ndi njala ya chisokonezo kuti muonetse kuti mukugwila ntchito?
5. Kodi ntchito yanu ndi yoteteza anthu kapena kupha or kuphesta anthu? mwinatu ndibwino kuti a IG adzakonze programme on air live ndi kutifotozela a Malawi tonse kuti timveste m’mene anyamata awowa amagwilira ntchito,kuti takamayenda,kumakhala tidzisamala nawo anyamata awowa chifukwa sakutithandiza ngakhale pang’ono.
6. Nthawi ya Kamuzu Banda anthu ma gate amatsegulidwa mu nthawi yabwino kuti anthu azilowa mu nthawi imene akufuna ndipo ena timakagona konko,bwanji osatengela chitsanzo chimenechi inu ma organisers kuti mupewe ngozi zopeweka ngati izi???
Aaaaaa! a Malawi tikudandaula chifukwa cha imfa ya abale athu,anatu osalakwa awa,sanayenela kuti afe chifukwa unali ufulu wao kupita kumalo a chisangalalo monga m’mene aliyense amakhala ndi zokonda zake pa moyo.
Conclussion: Pamene miyoyo ya ana osalakwa yatayika,pakuti zachitika kale,mizimu yawo iwuse muntendere ndipo abale ndi makolo ofedwa pepani kwambiri,Ambuye akulimbikitseni mu nyengo imeneyi.
1. Its a lesson learnt to all of us and my advice to government and organisers is: do a proper research and analysis when organizing events and make a comprehensive assessment on the safety of citizens before an commencement of an event to avoid such cases.
2. A Police aphunzitsidwenso ntchito ndi akadaulo/akatswiri pa nkhani zachitetezo chifukwa ali kutali ndi chitukuko pa nkhani za chitetezo.
Yusuf. Thats an important question. Police can not ran away from their fate. 20 July event. These unskilled boys are very unprofessional. Shame.
So sad that someone did not do his work well. Sleeping on the job.
He should have just cancelled the entire activities altogether at the stadium! That should have been a great message from the president – koma poti president uyu ndi odya zicheche, amaganizanso ngati zicheche
1. why the organizers opened the stadium gates very late?
2. why Police used tear Gus on peaceful events like this
3. Do we have the Police service or we still have Police force??
4. where did these Police rats trained of being killing innocent people then creating friendly with thugs?
5. How long shall we still burying innocent souls like of; January 18, May 02, July 20, September 19, October 23 and today 6 July, caused by Police officers.
6. We need our rights be respected as far as this matter is concerned!
I was at the stadium and I refuse to accept that the police were at fault. Even if they had not used teargas there still could have been many fatalities. The problem was late openi g of the gates. Police were on sight as early as 6.30am whereas the gate keepers arrived after 9 am. As if that was not enough they opened only one gate. It’s a question of negligence and lack of intelligence. They also stupidly wanted to issue tickets despite it being obvious that people were pressing forward in large numbers.