Head of petrol-bombed Lilongwe family laid to rest: Mourners appeal for support to bereaved remnants

The remains of Selemani Tambala–who died from wounds he sustained along with his wife and four of his children in a petrol-bomb attack at a UTM party office in the capital Lilongwe–were interred Friday, with a relative, traditional leader and party officials appealing for support towards the remaining members of the Tambala family.

They also demanded the police to trace and arrest the perpetrators of the petrol-bomb attack and bring them to justice.

Tambala’s wife and one child already died from their wounds a week ago while the other three injured children are still battling with their lives with one reportedly in critical condition.

The other four children for Tambala that survived the attack, are currently in deep shock and sorrow and in the hands of the community which is looking after them.

The Tambala family -10 in total -and were using part of the UTM office in Area 22 as their home–were petrol-bombed in what has been described as one of the most brutal political violence in modern democratic Malawi.

Weeping and looking frail and distressed, Mercy Wyson–who is elder sister to Tambala’s wife–said she now has a daunting task to look after her late younger sister’s children.

“I am devastated and afraid. I do not do anything for a living. How will I care for all these children? Honestly, I need help,” she said.

She added that she is still waiting to hear from the police if they are doing any investgations about the petrol-bombing.

Senior Group Village Head William Banda concurred with Wyson, adding that providing support to the remaining family members is indeed important.

“As a community, we are currently using the material and financial contributions made at the two funerals to provide for the children. We are asking for more contributions to enable us put in place a more sustainable initiative for supporting the children,” said Banda.

Hundreds of people including Human Rights Defenders Coalition  (HRDC) leaders Gift Trapece and MacDonald Sembereka attended Tambala’s funeral and burial in Area 22.

Trapence urged the Malawi Police Service to speed up investigations and arrest those who perpetrated the violence.

He warned government and police that failure to do so will ignite demonstrations for justice for the Tambala family.

“We want the police to arrest those who did this heinous act. We are giving them seven days and failure to do that will make us demonstrate for justice of these innocent victims,” Trapence said.

Among mourners were Mary Chilima, Lilongwe City South West legislator Nancy Tembo, former first lady Callista Mutharika.

UTM party had a number of its representatives who included  National Director of Economic Planning and Development Enoch Mavuto Banda and District Governor for Lilongwe Urban Livan Phiri.

Banda and Phiri said the UTM party is doing everything it can to support the bereaved remnants through the party’s leader and State Vice President Saulos Chilima.

The two also said the party is pushing the police to investigate the matter so that the culprits are known and eventually brought to justice.

The ceremony was conducted in line with Islamic faith.

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