After being denied an opportunity to peacefully march over the May 21 Presidential elections results last week, Malawi Congress Party (MCP) supporters in Karonga on Friday took to the streets to express their anger against the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) tippex-ed results through protests dubbed ‘Mutharika Must Fall’.
Dressed in red, with heavily armed police escort both uniformed and civilian, the supporters peacefully marched from Karonga MCP office with placards with all sorts of messages demeaning the leadership of MEC and Arthur Peter Mutharika while singing anti-Mutharika and Jane Ansah songs as they were going to the District Commissioner’s office to present their petition.
MCP district chairperson James Nkhoma said the march came after a long running battle with the DCs office over permission which the DC, Emmanuel Bulukutu, denied through a letter he wrote the party on May 28.
“After we were denied this opportunity last week, we went back to the drawing board and set aside this day. However, for us to be given this chance it has taken the intervention of all the five traditional authorities (T/As) in Karonga who were called by the DC on Thursday night for an emergency meeting as the DC was also denying to grant us our constitutional right to peacefully march.
“Fortunately, after lengthy discussions that ended past 8 in the evening, we were given a go ahead as we assured them that our march will be peaceful,” Nkhoma said.
And speaking to the press soon after presenting the petition, MCP regional chairperson for the North Kezzie Msukwa said as a party, they were happy that they had exercised their democratic right to march to express their anger over what he called the Tippex-ed election results which his party is contesting in court.
“We are glad that after our peaceful demonstrations, we have handed in our petition that has our concerns. And we hope it will find its way to President Arthur Peter Mutharika and the MEC chairperson Justice Dr. Jane Ansah via the DC’s office,” Msukwa said.
Msukwa added that the petition simply asks Ansah to step down for what he said was failure to manage fair, free and credible May 21 elections acceptable by all stakeholders.
“Apart from that, we have also asked the President of the DPP who was declared winner through Tippex-ed, fraudulently and doctored results to honorably step down as these results do not reflect the will of the people,” Msukwa said.
And speaking on behalf of the DC after receiving the petition, Mulipa assured the party supporters that the petition will be delivered to the District Commissioner Emmanuel Bulukutu who in return will also forward it to the intended addressees.
