Ntaba defend crackdown, accuses Atupele of ‘inciting’ violence
Presidential spokesperson Dr. Heatherwick Ntaba has made fresh attacks on Atupele Muluzi, Machinga North MP and one of the leading presidential hopefuls in the 2014 elections, accusing him of being the cause of the clashes between residents of Area 24, Lilongwe and the Police.
In a statement released on Tuesday and made available to Nyasa Times, Ntaba claims young Muluzi and his UDF supporters were told not to proceed with their plans to hold a whistle-stop tour due to security reasons but they proceeded with their plans ending up causing violence.
“These people were not allowed to conduct their planned whistle-stop meetings in town because of the volatile security situation which prevails now. We think that this was a justified precaution from the authorities” reads the statement.
He further suggested that Muluzi could have obtained a court injunction if he was against the wishes of the police to cancel the rally.
“As a law abiding citizen and a lawyer, Hon. Atupele knows that laws must be obeyed, even if one disagrees with them. He and his UDF colleagues should have called off the meetings. Alternatively they should have obtained a court injunction to overrule the authorities’ decision to ban their meeting. It is sheer arrogance and despicable lawlessness,” said Ntaba who is known defending tyranny since the days of Kamuzu Banda.
Ntaba says the violence against Police and damage to property, which involved some innocent by-slanders, could have been avoided if UDF had listened to the authorities’ warning and postponed this meeting.
But this is contrary to the majority of Malawians who are saying Atupele is not on the wrong side. The law says Police should be informed of political meetings and they should provide security as they are paid by tax payers who include opposition members.
UDF followers and the general public are putting the blame on police for the violence saying they irritated the innocent UDF supporters by firing a volley of tear gas canisters and fired ammunition in their air.
The arrogance and unprofessionalism of Malawi Police also led to the loss of at least 19 innocent lives on July 20th when Malawians wanted to have a peaceful march against the tyrant Mutharika administration.
