Thousands turn up for HRDC demos against police-perpetrated rape in Msundwe
Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) on Thursday staged a peaceful demonstration attracting thousands of protestors in Lilongwe demanding Malawi Police Service (MPS) to name, shame and prosecute its officers who allegedly raped women in and around Msundwe area along the Lilongwe-Mchinji Road in October last year.
Unlike the anti-Jane Ansah protests when violence and looting marred what were planned to be peaceful demonstrations,the Msundwe saga t protest procession was free of violence and vandalism on the designated route.
Human rights activist Timothy Mtambo, national chairperson of HRDC, whose organisation has held a series of mass demonstrations over the conduct of the May 21 Tripartite Elections, said the high turn up of the protesters is an indication that people want justice on the matter despite the Malawi police service trying to cover up.
“We demand justice on the Msundwe sexual violence perpetrated by the police,” said Mtambo.
Mtambo’s deputy Gift Trapence hailed the protesters for successfully organising the march.
The protests march started from Lilongwe community ground and will end at police headquarters in Area 30 where the rights activists will present petition to officers.
The police say they have instituted a criminal investigation on the matter.
Deputy Inspector General (Administration) John Nyondo told a news conference on Tuesday that an internal police probe report was submitted to Acting IG Duncan Mwapasa and that a fresh probe is underway.
Said Nyondo: “The inquiry submitted findings to the acting Inspector General. But the findings were presented internally and they were not made public because we are doing further investigations. Management is keen to see that investigations are done to the logical conclusion.”
In its report, tax-funded Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) Msaid it established that police officers raped 13 women, defiled one girl and sexually-assaulted three under-18 girls during their October 8 2019 operation around the area.
Meanwhile, HRDC chairperson Mtambo has blamed police for not producing public reports on circumstances that led to the deaths of suspects such as Buleya Lule in police cell, as he was being tried in a case involving a person with albinism; third year Polytechnic engineering student and political activist Robert Chasowa and Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) director of corporate services Issah Njaunju, among other cases.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
ife wathu ndi CHILIMA basi pheeee
Nde wina abweletse judgement yopoyila .
A mayeso ndinu opepelatu inu. You haven’t heard of ‘change’. Zinthu zimasintha kumene. Ndipo u can’t say there was no tangible economic development during kamuzu era. Kupusa uku…….ndinu womvesa chisoni
Alex mgeni zoona there was no economic development during Kamuzu era, only self serving and the selected few like Tembo, Dzanjalimodzi’s etc benefited alot. Kamuzu just ‘maintained’ what the colonial regime left.
Alex mgeni zoona there was no economic development during Kamuzu MCP, hence the chaos we are experiencing today. Kamuzu just ‘maintained’ what the colonial regime left.
Anakayendabe
Inu ngati zakunyasani mwawelegeranji story,ine ndikangoona heading yokondera ma cadet sindivutika nkuwerenga komwe,ngati uja analemba za TB Joshua kuti sanatchule Malawi ndinangoona heading nnangodziwa kuti kadeti uyu kuvutika ndi mtima,
Nde tikadayendabe,tchitonso tili nayo yabwino ,salary yabwino,sitikhalamso pa rent,koma timakayenda coz this country is in a mess,hope mwamva .
What about the police officer who was killed on duty when are you going to demonstrate ?????? We are watching
He died on duty, was trained to protect himself and others he was in direct contact with the thugs, what did these women do to deserve the rape? If it was your mother or sisters being raped by police officers who were there to look for thugs how would you fill.
Yaaaah zoonad
They did not turn up, they were brought by this useless organisation
Malawi will change let’s don’t give up guys
The mentally disturbed organisers just want to show the EU delegation which is in the country that hrdc organisation is still relevant cholinga awadyele funding. Nawo azungu achambawa choncho akopeka mawa atumiza 1,000 euros. Chosecho hrdc has achieved nothing. Malawians even wonder what mtambo writes in hrdc narrative reports…
Sometimes I want us to bring kamuzu police back with tough IGs like Eliot kamwana or mcwilliam lunguzi. Polisi Sinkalola masanje ngati awa achita mtambo. one thing mcp govt did well was security. No tangible economic development Only security, security security. Tunena pano ili nthawi ya Malawi police forces bwenzi mtambo ndi trapence Ali ku traditional court oweluza ake amfumu akaomba, from there straight kukakwela makako. Makolo awo kumudzi atamenenyedwa kalekale such that they would be first to speak against their kids mtambo and trapence stupidity. Oh I miss kamuzu days
Kkkkkk uchitsiru suupotsa apa, Koma Eee u Cadet sizithu
mr MAYESO, YOU ARE A CURSED PERSON, PEOPLE WANT JUSTICE BUT YOUR BRAIN IS WORKING BACKWARDS MAY EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU GO BACKWARDS
Kkkkkkkk, MCP inali yankhaza koma zachitetezo chokha imayesetsa. Problem in Malawi everyone wants to become a president. I concur with you, Malawi went several step backwards economical wise with Kamuzu.
Waist of time time.Ukaziputa limba.
Kkkkk mpaka chiuno cha time? Mubwere ku school 🚸 a cadet inu and learn proper English. Do not just assume spellings! 😄