DPP gun totting gurus impunity: Ben Phiri sparks outrage with pistol display

The governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) impunity has reached new levels with its Director of Field Operations Ben Malunga Phiri openly displaying a pistol gun in public  just a few months after his assistant also displayed a pistol during a public meeting.

A picture circulating on social media shows Phiri surrounded by party loyalists displaying what looked like  a pistol on his torso.

Analysts say the action by Phiri signifies the impunity that the DPP is showing in the run up to elections next year.

A few months ago, one of Phiri’s body guards Noel Kaiya also displayed a pistol during a public meeting in Thyolo when he accompanied Phiri to his rally. It is believed Kaiya does not own a gun licence.

Police are yet to investigate Kaiya case.

“In fact this shows that the DPP does not care about the suffering of the people and that’s why they are doing whatever they want,” said one political analyst.

” They are telling us they can do whatever they want because they are in government,” he added.

Nyasa Times  investigations have shown that Phiri has a gun licence.

But it does not mean that he should be displaying the gun in public.

Phiri is campaigning to claim ra parliamentary seat in  Thyolo Central Constituency from incumbent Gabu Bob Khamisa.

The incumbent MP  Gabu Khamisa also belongs to DPP but has been swept out by DPP  strongman Phiri.

Khamisa, 26, is son to the late Bob Khamisa who once served as MP for the constituency.

The younger Khamisa won the seat  as an independent in the May 20 Tripartite Elections after beating his own uncle, Fariz Khamisa, who stood on People’s Party (PP) ticket. He later joined DPP.

Malawi will hold tripartite elections in May next year to elect the President and Vice-President, 193 members of Parliament and 462 ward councillors.