Car belonging to Malawi opposition spokesperson Kabwila torched: DPP suspected

Salima North West Member of Parliament (MP) Jessie Kabwila’s car a Toyora Fortunes was burnt Wednesday evening by as yet unknown assailants.

The spokesperson of the opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) was not in the car at the time the car went up in flames.

Kabwila a fierce critic of the Peter Mutharika led government was attending a meeting when her car was torched.

Police said they were conducting preliminary investigations.

But MCP officials claimed it was the work of ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

DPP has a history of torching cars of critics even ballots papers.

Human rights activist Mankhumbo Munthali condemned the incident.

“This is a very barbaric act which must be condemned in the strongest terms. It’s a reminiscent of the 2011 events where houses and offices of the critics of government including the cars of  Zodiak Broadcasting Serviceswere torched and burnt,”Munthali told Nyasa Times.

However, when asked as to whether there was any foul play in this Munthali said: “You cannot completely rule out such a possibility. It is very certain that this barbaric act was systematic. Coming against the recent background of the recent internal squables in MCP the temptation would be to rush to conclude that this has been internally orchestrated.

“However, you cannot completely rule out the possibility of the involvement of the ruling DPP in this whole saga. The DPP gurus may be taking advantage of the current internal squables within MCP allegedely between Chakwera and Kabwira by masterminding this act just to implicate the MCP leader as behind this. So these are some of the possibilities.”

He urged Malawi Police service to “professionally” carry out investigations to ensure that perpetrators of the barbaric acts are brought to book

However, DPP spokesman Francis Kasaila said accusing the party on the incident is “unfair.”

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