Malawi peaceful election protests overtaken by violent yobs: Mutharika billboards pulled down, 2 cops injured
The much touted non-violent countrywide demonstrations over the disputed result of last month’s presidential elections were on Thursday largely overtaken by some violent hoodlums.
Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) under the banner of Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) which organised the mass protests, failed to control the crowd as some unruly youth turned violent.
Thousands of protesters gathered in the capital Lilongwe, in the commercial centre Blantyre and in the third city of Mzuzu at protests that called for the chairperson of the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), Jane Ansah, to resign for “running a fraudulent presidential election.”
Protestors tore down and burnt Mutharika’s campaign billboards and posters.
In Blantyre, Police fired teargas to stop the protestors from descending on MEC Headquarters in the city.
National Police Spokesperson James Kadadzera said police used teargas to stop protests from turning violent.
“We want to ensure that protests are peaceful and that there is no damage to private and public property,” he said via telephone.
Protestors in the capital Lilongwe who included opposition leaders Lazarus Chakwera of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and Saulos Chilima of UTM Party stormed parliament.
Police said shops had been ransacked and two police officers injured by protesters throwing rocks in Lilongwe.
“We continue to deploy police officers both on foot and vehicle patrols, in all strategic places in towns, cities and rural areas,” police said in a statement.
Police noted “sporadic incidences of violence” but did not mention arrests.
President Peter Mutharika was declared winner of the presidential election with 38.5 %.
The election was marred by allegations of fraud, including that many results sheets were altered using white correction fluid called Tippex.
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Mulomwe si Malawi. And doesn’t deserve to be called Malawian
Izi zikutanthauzanji?
Malawi wakwiya sizinawoneke !! apa APM should clearly get the message that we do not want him, we never wanted him and we will not want him to be our President ! hence we will keep on demonstrating until the courts order for a re-run
This life mmmmm so help us God
Chakwera is losing support because of supporting violence. Chilima is a well known thug.
On the contrary, the support of the opposition leaders is growing while that of the Tippex president is plummeting.
this is just the biggining if that JEZEBEL ANSAH and her stupid boy friend PITALA DONT STEP DOWN THINGS GONNA TURN BAD TO WORSE
Zintchito za abusa a Chakwera ndi Saulos zimenezo. Mtengo umadziwika ndi zipatso zake.
Musazondotse nkhani apapa………..Malawians are not stupid! Thousands went to the streets coz of the pain they are going through, its gat nothing to do with Chilima or Chakwera, but its gat everything to do with our votes which were stolen! period
Cops, who are Malawians? Some of us voted for DPP and Peter. We are also Malawians! Muziti ife a MCP kaya UTM osati Amalawi as if ifenso tikulira nawo. Tikukuonannitu!
That is why we are saying,,,,stolen,,, your vote was stolen. Stupid fool! ! Some of you not Malawians. We are talking about Malawians, are you Malawians or Malawian?Khakha iwe.
Cadet get lost… damn it……………
I get you, mulira bwanji mutabera chisankho? There is no way someone in their right senses could support what APM and his cronies did, If he had won on a clean slate, fair and square , all these protests couldn’t have been there, but everybody knows that the elections were rigged, so why should we support a president who never won? Let the masses decide basitu!
That’s just the beginning and real things are yet to come if judges can make blunder to favour Muntharika today.
Majority are saying no to Tippex government so don’t force us into someone we don’t want through your Tippex .
Judges must take decisive decision for justice and peace to continue in this country.
We need peace but don’t provoke people through making bad decisions . We are not subscribing to Tippex so get rid of this tippex government and bring rerun within 3months period.
what do you know? You can not tell Judges what to do as if you were there when they were spending years while chasing pages.
So spending all those years but coming with unjustice is what can make you happy you idiot? And for your information, we had a Chief Justice from South Africa, did you heard him what he said about integrity? How can a well learned justice can do the opposite with justice? Fwetseki!
Why is the article focusing on the negative aspects of the demonstrations. People from all walks of life marched against what were clearly irregular elections. Yes there were incidences of violence but never in my life have I seen Malawians come together as they did today against undemocratic leadership. Why not report on such patriotism. I for one am proud of what my fellow Malawians who chose to demonstrate peacefully today. It was the stuff of legends