Vigilant groups declares ‘war’ with DPP cadets over national IDs

Vigilant groups in Nkhata Bay have declared an all-out war with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) notorious cadets whom the ruling party is sending to snatch national IDs from prospective voters.

Some leaders of the youthful vigilant groups in the district say they have now embarked on a hunt for the cadets whom they said are illegally collecting the national identity cards from vulnerable unsuspecting people in the district.

“The situation is worse at Mpamba but we will deal with them. We cannot fear the cadets just because they are in a ruling party. What they are doing is illegal,” said one of the vigilant groups.

He suspected the ruling party is collecting the national IDs to rig the 2019 highly contested elections.

Police spokesperson in Nkhata Bay Kondwani James refused to comment on the matter.

However, an emotional regional governor for the DPP in the north Kenneth Sanga said the party was merely identifying an electoral college for the party ahead of its primary polls which is expected to start in December.

“We are just getting 400 national IDs from each constituency from those who are in DPP committees who will form the electoral college during our primary elections,” he said.

He said the party will now use the national IDs as identification for its committee members who will form the electoral college.

The party says the primary elections will be held in secret ballot.