Chilima, Chakwera, Mtambo marked for arrest: Malawi police coy to effect ‘orders from above’

July 5, 2019 James Nthondo -Nyasa Times 44 Comments

President Peter Mutharika was furious on Thursday when he learnt of violence and looting and  ordered Police to arrest immediate past Vice President and UTM president Saulos Chilima and Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president Lazarus Chakwera over demonstrations calling for the resignation of beleaguered Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson Jane Ansah.

Mary Chilima clad in a black T-shirt inscribed Osaopa
Some protesters lie on the road during the protests in Lilongwe.-Photo by Govati Nyirenda, Mana
Both Chilima and Chakwera said they joined demonstrators as concerned Malawians and not as leaders of their respective political parties

The  protesters were seen burning tyres and smashing statues erected on the roundabout near Sunbird Capital while some  vandalised Spar shop at City Centre and stole assorted merchandise, predominantly alcoholic beverages and food items.

Mutharika is said to have ordered Police Deputy Inspector General Duncan Mwapasa to arrest the two and Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) Chairman Timothy Mtambo, whose organization is organizing the demonstration which turned ugly especially in Mzuzu where some buildings were set on fire.

Inside sources at Area 30 Police Headquarters confided to Nyasa Times that Mwapasa in turn ordered Lilongwe Police Station Officer-in-Charge James Mthali who could not take the order.

“Mthali told them that arresting Chilima, Chakwera and Mtambo will just fuel and breed more trouble for police officers especially those residing in commercial areas,” said the source.

Another government source also corroborated the story saying a visibly angry and disturbed Mutharika ordered Police to arrest the trio accusing them for a fueling violence through the demonstrations.

“Mutharika wants these three arrested and said he doesn’t want any excuses, that was his clear order,” said an impeccable source.

However, the three have been calling demonstrators to demonstrate peacefully and asked Police to arrest anyone who will be found looting and vandalizing property as the demonstrations are ‘peaceful’.

Speaking to an estimated 4 000 protesters at the vigils on Thursday,  Chilima stressed that people should exercise their right to demonstrate and not fear anything as the National Anthem states.

“Let us demonstrate peacefully without fear,” said Chilima, who was dressed in black combat regalia while his wife, Mary, was clad in a black T-shirt inscribed Osaopa (No Fear).

Added Chilima: “We are not going to relent. We are going to fight until we see where the vote of Malawians went.”

Chakwera, who finished second as per results announced by MEC, also said he will not let justice on the May 21 2019 Tripartite Elections be concealed.

HRDC first organized the demonstrations on June 20, 2019 calling for Ansah to resign who vehemently refused to resign in an exclusive television interview with Zodiak TV a week ago.

The CSOs then organized another set of demonstrations and vigils on Thursday and Friday across the country to force Ansah to resign over the way she handled the May 21 tripartite elections.

Voting in the tripartite elections took place on May 21 in 5 002 polling stations nationwide and DPP President Peter Mutharika was declared a winner seven days after the voting, securing his second five-year term.

The results have, however, been challenged by Mutharika’s main contenders, Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and UTM Party, who have called for the nullification of the presidential poll, arguing some anomalies were overlooked.

The two parties have both filed their cases at the High Court in Lilongwe whose hearing starts on July 29.

The polarised electorate has led  Mutharika—who won the presidency with 38.5 percent of the vote—to face questions of legitimacy not just from his challengers, but also from influential groups such as the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) who say he has carried the day in an election that lacked credibility.

PAC has also endorsed the demonstrations.

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44 replies on “Chilima, Chakwera, Mtambo marked for arrest: Malawi police coy to effect ‘orders from above’”

  1. If Chakwela had put such effort we are seeing today to preach the word of God, all Malawians could have been converted. It is a shame that Moslems whom we have been associating with violence are preaching peace. The love of money is the root of all evil, I salute the bible for saying the truth and we can see now.

  5. If its is true that the President ordered the arrest of the three and the Police are not following the orders then thats a disciplinary issue in the Police, we have a weak Inspector General of Police, thats why he is failing to manage the demonstrations, his Men are being beaten by untrained rascals. People are respecting Malawi Army than Police because leadership in Police is questionable

  7. Kkkk,

    That’s impossible, kukhoza kuvuta from Chitipa to Nsanje.

    Don’t do that for the sake of piece

  8. Mgrizano umeneu unali kuti
    Mumadikira kulephera kenaka muziki osutsa tilipo 62%
    There can only be one president at a time
    Just like football the rules apply
    Apa mungolimbikira 50+1 for the future

  9. The 61.5% won the election bt it was that white paint called tippex that displaced them.

  10. Bwana zali ndinu opusa Kani? Stupid orders don’t have to be executed. Timatha kukana kumene. We are trained to think also and put people first in all we do.

    1. This is 2019. The old man has lost his mind. The police officers have interests too.

  11. So what are you waiting for? Malawi is bigger than Chilima and Chakwera’spersonal vandettas and their desparation to be presidents. The beneficiary of their being president will be their wives, mothers , uncles and chioldren These people they are using today will go back to the streets- hungry

    1. The problem is not Chilima or Chakwera. The problems is that we have thieves at MEC and in government. We are feed up being led by leaders that are corrupt.

  14. Much as the govt machinery can and must not fear to arrest anybody including even president himself let us not take that route because this issue can spark tribal conflicts.
    What the govt should do is to make a blanket ban on all demos for a year then encourage all those who have been injured, have lost or damaged properties to sue the demo organisers for compensations.
    It that way people will learn bitter lesson never to encourage careless acts that have big potential of causing lawless. Youth And Society (YAS) learnt that bitter lesson a couple of weeks ago.

  16. Arresting the trio will be the biggest mistake Mutharika has never made. He should rather let it be as it is now. People will fill state house to take him out.

  17. Mutharika is the commander in chief of the police, you are telling me that he can give an order & someone junior can decide to disobey & still keep his job?

  18. President ukakhala ofatsa kwambiri anthu amakutola heavy. I wish Mutharika would be like Yoweri Kaguta M7 of Uganda. Abuluzi amenewa sakanayelekeza kupanga zimenezi. Mr President, you better be abit militant and bit democratic. Don’t be too democratic, this is Africa not America.

    2. You sound like an idiot, people are demostrating against Tipex and you are there talking nonsense, man tell your President to arrest these three guys,,, musamutsa likulu from Lilongwe to Thyolo,, ndiwe mbuzi kobasi, your President knows very well kuti he has no power, he is just there to warm the sit for the truth to take over, idiot! This is Malawi!

    3. I agree with you, akulu awo a chimulirenjiwa alandidwa boma akuona ndithu.
      Aonjeza kugona.

  19. Mr MBAVAA first n foremost you need to get furious with your own dpp thugs n looters who have been on looting rampant since 2014. You need to get furious with your barbaric cadets who terrorize people and insult women. When it comes to disciplining your bootlicking thugs n thieves then you are ALL QUIET. What bloody nonsense is this? SO DONT EVEN DARE TO GO THAT ROUTE…. TAKE 1 SIMPLE ADVISE FROM ME MR. APM….. YOU GOT NOTHINGTO LOSE … THROW IN YOUR TOWEL N ENJOY PEACEFUL RETIREMENT. If u become state witness and help the country recover all the looted monies by your thugs, thieves, adopted sons, etc, and get them ALL behind bars then you can re earn all that lost respect and enjoy amnesty. But you trying to shield all the thugs that surround you will also get you lockec up. So what is better… its common sense mr apm. Ones you are protecting and shielding are ALL selfish looters n does not wish you or the nation any wellness. They are not there to help you but help themselves by corruptly enriching themselves keeping you in the forefront… and it’s you who is tarnishing your name and image…. and loosing respect by the day. Do you really need all this bullshit at your age when you also have enough stolen n looted monies. Just go to Florida USA n enjoy a retired life with both Getrude n Jane….. and at least you will die in style and peacefully. And this piece of advise is obviously FREE….. so TAKE IT. !!!!! LAST CHANCE BWANA MBAVAA. HOPE GOD HELP YOU MAKE RIGHT DECISION.

  21. Arresting these guys will be deadly as the president does not know the air outside state house is not conducive now,

  23. I really wonder how our Policing is done in my poor country Malawi. Why would our Police always take orders from above and not from the law? I guess such needs would have been derived from he law other than from ‘above’ We need to professionalize our Police like how it is done in developed countries. Taking orders from ‘above’ whoever the above is would tarnish the image of the Police who are otherwise supposed to be neutral and professionals.

  24. That’ll just be be his last mistake nothing adds morale to protestors than arresting leaders…He of all people should know as after MPS arrested him on treason charges during JB’s rule it only increased morale among his supporters it helped getting him elected in ’14

  25. The 61.5% of the population will give you problems once these leaders of different groups are arrested. You better trade very carefully on this one because it will add another target to the current demand for a simply Jane Ansah’s resignation

    1. Why did this 61.5% not join hands before elections? They are now uniting after the vote.

      3. They wanted to win or lose honestly but the devil’s massager robbed them their win or loss.They are united to fight this evil massager who robbed them of an honest win or loss.

    2. osaphatikiza the percentage baba…part in ndi ya chilima ina ndi ya chakwera….pajatu tinakana 51% +…..where were you ozindikiranu?

  26. I used to impress on my political science students at the university, at Chichiri, in the 1970s that tippex is very expensive. I would love to meet them today.

  27. I salute the police for not executing the order! Taking the order will cause bigger problems than what we are experiencing now

  28. My plea goes to Chakwera and Chilima to ask their followers to respect Kamuzu’s final resting place. These demonstrators have taken Kamuzu’s grave as a play ground, running over and around the tombstone like they are having fun.

    1. What rubbish. Can’t you see that Kamuzu is in control even in death. People respect his performance despite the 25 year long propaganda against him. You failures can’t see that ofcourse.

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