‘DPP vendors’ demolish stalks, property for PP sympathisers

Some vendors believed to be ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) followers have demolished stalks and other structures belonging to vendors seen to be sympathisers of the former ruling People’s Party (PP)  at Limbe Flea Market in Malawi’s commercial capital Blantyre.

The incident, according to sources, happened Friday night, few days after some people also suspected to be DPP sympathisers in northern city of Mzuzu jumped from a party branded vehicle to beat up a man for “insulting” President Peter Mutharika.

“Property worth over K2 million has been damaged. We reported the incident to police and provided them with the identities of the perpetrators, but they (police) have done nothing,” said one of the affected vendors, Stanley Kachingwe.

The incident also happened at a time when most vendors plying trade in Limbe Market Flea are pushing for polls to elect new committee for Limbe Vendors Association.

Another vendor, Mary Chidothe claimed that the current executive is “pro-DPP”, hence the push for polls to elect a “neutral committee that will advance the interests of all vendors.

Effort to speak to Limbe Police spokesperson proved futile as she could not pick her phone.

On Thursday, violence reared his ugly head when DPP youth clad in their party colours, some wielding panga knives, gatecrashed PP rally that was being addressed by northern region chairperson Reverend Chimwemwe Mzomera Ngwira in Chitipa.

DPP youth’s actions are said to have angered PP supporters who immediately sought to eject them from the meeting, but attracted the wrath of the ruling party youth who started a fight.

Police managed to arrest three DPP officials suspected to have caused the violence.