MCP accuses DPP of harassment as Malawi Police arrest two party officials in Nsanje

Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has complained of political harassment ahead of the Ocober 17 by-election in Nsanje Lalanje Constituency, saying two  of its members working with Lawrence Sitolo, an aspiring MCP candidate have been arrested on trumped up charges .

Police confirmed the arrest of two people working for Sitolo on suspected electoral misconduct.

The MCP members are accused of collecting voter cards from the constituents.

But the opposition party has dismissed the claims, saying its  calculated to harass and intimidate them.

MCP deputy secretary general Einshower Mkaka said what the party members were doing  was  registering area membership  of the party.

“We remain vigilant and confident that MCP will win the by-election, notwithstanding harrassmsent and intimidation ,” he said.

MCP accused governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Mrs Ganda of giving orders to Police to harass its members.

President of MCP and  leader of opposition Lazarus Chakwera is on record to have written donors to complain about alleged intimidation and attempted bribery of candidate Sitolo.

But DPP spokesperson Francis Kasaila  argued Chakwera’s aim was simply to damage the relationship between donors and government.

The governing pary accused Chakwera of “ sympathy-seeking stunt”,  saying MCP have  already known “they will lose as expected.”

Kasaila dismissed assertions that the DPP’s popularity in the Shire Valley was affected by businessperson Sidik Mia’s  move to join MCP.

MCP  laughed off DPP’s attack as unwarranted, with Mkaka saying they had written donors “because a diplomatic note is a standard practice anywhere in the world.”