DPP supporters cry foul over march allowances

Scores of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) on Wednesday late evening protested against party officials in Lilongwe demanding their allowances for participating in the party organised Constitutional Court election case ruling protest march earlier in that day.

The protesters,  clad in the ruling DPP attire, caused pandemonium at the gates of Kamuzu Palace as they complained that they had not been given their allowances.

At least 15 extra armed police officers arrived at the gate, the official residence of  the President Peter Mutharika, who is also the DPP leader.

DPP  protesters, who included women, said they were ferried in lorries from  other districts to Lilongwe .

The protesters, under the control of the armed police, stayed late at the gates waiting for the allowances.

DPP secretary general Grezelder Jeffrey and party spokesperson Nicholas Dausi refused to comment on the matter.

Mutharika had a few hours earlier met the protesters at the same gate and addressed them.

The DPP is protesting against the Constitutional Court February 3 election case ruling which annulled the May 21, 2019 presidential election results after accusing the Malawi Electoral Commission of mishandling the polls.

The court said that the election was marred with irregularities and anomalies which were so widespread, systematic and grave that the election result was seriously compromised.

Speaking earlier during the protest march, Jeffrey maintained the DPP earlier stand that the constitutional court judges erred in its February 03 judgment in the presidential election case.

Jeffrey told journalists that the party will continue demonstrating its concerns through what she termed constitutional means of showing all Malawians that the court ruling was against the reality.

The DPP supporters echoed the sentiments through word of mouth and songs that they chanted all the way from Lilongwe community centre to the civic offices where they presented a petition.