Police in Lilongwe have arrested UTM National Youth Director Bon Kalindo.
Kalindo who is also Member of Parliament for Mulanje South has been charged with conduct likely to cause breach of people.
According to police, Kalindo committed the offence in at Balaka Police Station on Sunday where police were holding Vice President Saulos Chilima’s assistants.
Chilima and UTM members gathered at the station in solidarity with the arrested assistants, Kush Unyolo and Joshua Valera.
A video making rounds on social media show Kalindo leading young people into a song castigating President Peter Mutharika. Kalindo and the youths chanted “Mutharika wapenga misala” (Mutharika has gone mad).
The legislator later refused to apologise for the incident.
On Sunday, police arrested Unyolo and Valera at the launch of Chiwanja cha A Yao cultural event in Balaka where police say they committed the crime.
According to Malawi Police Service spokesperson James Kadadzera, the two were acting suspiciously at the Chiwanja Cha A Yao function as they wandering about and did not even occupy any seat.
UTM described the arrest as politically motivated.
Spokesperson for the party Joseph Chidanti Malunga said in a statement that government is using the police to persecute those in the opposition.
“We would like to remind the Police that this Country is governed by laws and any unlawful arrest cannot be tolerated.”
“Police should desist from being used by politicians as this is contrary to their code of conduct and the statute regulating police conduct.
“In 1993 Malawians voted for a change so that they can do away with Police brutality. Such careless acts and conduct can easily lead to chaos and unrest endangering our hard won democracy peace and tranquillity,” says the statement.
Interesting story but obviously doctored to get public sympathy…?
Chidanti Malunga should know that this is not unlawful arrest: insulting the president is in itself unlawful.