Mwenefumbo lambasts Police for not probing Karonga electoral violence

A Parliamentarian for the notorious, “Benghazi” Karonga Central Constituency in northern Malawi, Frank Tumpale Mwenefumbo has bashed human rights groups and  law enforcers for failing to investigate the atrocities committed against civilians during the elections period and take the perpetrators to book, claiming that is denying the victims’ access to justice.

He was reacting to comments by some civic and voter organizations including the National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) in the district on the peaceful environment prevailing in the constituency  renown with violence.

“Soon after being elected as a Member of Parliament for the Constituency, I vowed to end violence, and asked human rights organizations to investigate the abuses the innocent women, children and some men in the constituency were subjected to, and take those who are responsible whether my supporters or my colleague Dr Cornelius Mwalwanda supporters to book but no one has responded to my calls.

“This is a setback to the victims who depends on such bodies for protection of their rights”, Mwenefumbo told Nyasa Times .

Soon after the elections, the Parliamentarian applied the Rwandan President Paul Kagame’s ‘Peace and Reconciliation’ strategy to unite the Hutu and Tutsi tribes after the genocide which claimed nearly one million Tutsis.

Karonga NICE District Officer, Chritobell Shawa said Mwenefumbo’s preaching for peace and forgiveness spirit after the elections went a long way to reconcile his supporters and those of his predecessor who could look at each other as a cat and a mouse, hence the people are celebrating their oneness today.

“We are all surprised to witness the peace that is in constituency today and we want to request politicians whose constituencies has a similar violence background of Karonga central to emulate a good example laid by Mwenefumbo to ensure political development in the country”, Shawa told Nyasa Times in Mzuzu.

However, Mwenefumbo who claimed continues to engage chiefs and other stakeholders to maintain the peace that is in the constituency now, accused the law enforcers to for not arresting Mwalwanda for allegedly assaulting him at Mlare when former President Joyce Banda went to open a cotton ginnery.

“The police were present and were the ones rescuing me from fights of Mwalwanda and his supporters but could not arrest him just because he was a Minister, I feel that is bad because as law enforcers they are supposed to protect every victim and ensure that the perpetrators face the law regardless of their status in the society.”