Malawi Army soldiers kill ruling DPP youth leader in Mulanje
Villagers from Chibade in Limbuli area in Mulanje are protesting the death of an area youth leader allegedly by Malawi Army soldiers as the battle for protection of Mulanje mountain trees rages on.
At the funeral which took place in Limbuli on Saturday, MP for the area Daudi Chida told mourners that 31 year old Alick Kambewa was beaten to death by the soldiers.
“He had planks and when the soldiers ordered him to surrender them, he refused because he argued they did not belong to him, this is when the beating and torture started,” he said.
This is the second death in the hands of the soldiers in two months.
The soldiers however say Kambewa was hit by a speeding vehicle, a claim rejected by the villagers who said Kambewa’s body had all marks of torture.
Police spokesperson James Kadadzera said his office is yet to get a thorough report on the matter.
Kambewa is survived by a wife and three children.
Some civil rights leaders are asking the government to investigate reports of human rights violations by soldiers who were deployed to protect forests, including Mulanje mountain and Dzalanyama forest.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
May his soul rest in peace! Born in the Kamuzu era, I suggest that the community around Mulanje mountain should look at the mountain as one of the best gifts God has given them.They need to value it most.The mountain, as Chinua Achebe once wrote, “………is for all of us””. It belongs to Malawi.People need to follow rules and regulations set up by the ministry responsible.I guess the army is involved because communities around the mountain are not listening .Let’s love our country by being citizens with good attitude because attitude is everything. To our army , I say ”… Read more »
This tendency of deploying soldiers to do the work for forestry officials should stop forthwith. Soldiers are not properly trained to handle these types of conflicts with the communities. Soldiers should be deployed to guard Lake Malawi from Tanzania at the moment. Forests, should be protected by the Ministry of Forests. This used to happen a long time ago, we had Forest guards who were guarding and protecting the Forests. Please recruit the responsible Ministry, before we are faced with these unnecessary deaths and litigation against government leading to loss of taxes and revenue to compensate victims of Army brutality… Read more »
mjiab, you should know this fact: some forestry guards have lost their lives while guarding forests. In this case, because soldiers are feared thus why it was not a forest guard killed but the person resisting to comply with whatever he was asked to do. Malawi has changed, people have misunderstood democracy. Law enforcement is a problem. It is unfortunate that lives are lost. As a nation we need to go to the drawing board and reflect what is happening and come up with a way forward that will build our nation.
While the death of Kambewa is regrettable, it should serve as a lesson to the so called DPP cadets who believe they are above the law