Rights activist Mtambo survives another assassination attempt

A leading human rights activist in Malawi, Timothy Mtambo, has escaped unharmed after an apparent assassination attack when suspected regime thugs ambushed his vehicle  near his home and rammed it.

Mtambo, who is  chairperson for the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC), said he escaped assassination attempts on his life from suspected regime thugs and claims to have survived by God’s grace.

He said the assailants were trailing him on Thursday night and attempted to attack him.

HRDC leader, who has been at the centre of anti-Jane Ansah demonstrations and his colleagues,  had just been attacked  after announcing that they will resume holding demonstrations meant to force Malawi Electoral Commission (Mec) Chairperson, Jane Ansah, to resign from her position.

Mtambo and  his deputy Gift Trapence have for the past three weeks been in the Gambia for official duties at the African Commission for People’s and Human Rights.

In October, Mtambo also survived  a gun attack from regime thugs  who were trailing him with six bullets hitting his car, but remained unhurt.

In August, the home of Mtambo was petrol bombed in a targeted move to stop mass demonstrations against Ansah.

Mtambo said there is an appetite for the regime  to “ attack on my life.”

The rights activist  has been at the forefront of protests following elections in May, which the opposition says were rigged.

HRDC has been organising mass protests to force the resignation of the head of the country’s electoral body over the alleged mismanagement of the May election, which saw the incumbent Peter Mutharika returned to office. The results are being contested in the constitutional court.

Mtambo said Malawi was mired in inequality, nepotism, poverty and injustice, which is why people were ready to take part in the demonstrations.