Leader for Mass Movement for Economic Revolution Reason Munlo on Wednesday accused Malawi Police of failing to protect demonstrators when suspected Malawi Congress Party (MCP) supporters blocked and disrupted demonstrations.
Munlo said police sided with ruling party supporters who blocked and pelted stones at demonstrators.
“Upon reaching at Interchange soon after crossing Lingadzi River, a group of youthful ruling party supporters started to stone on us while the police were just watching,” he said.
Munlo who led the protesters wanted to present a petition to President Lazarus Chakwera demanding his resignation saying he has failed to address challenges people in Malawi are facing.
He said what happened will not stop them from going ahead with the demand for resignation and protest as they will go back and plan how to return to the streets.
Lilongwe District Council stakeholders did not grant the protesters a go-ahead on Tuesday 29th August, 2023 after some individuals including police wrote the council not to allow the protesters to proceed with the demonstrations.
This forced the organisers to go to court where they were given a go-ahead.
Later in the morning, leader for the grouping called ‘Malawi First’, Bon Kalindo was arrested at the council few minutes after he presented the court order which allowed them to go ahead with planned demonstrations.
Kalindo was later released and was expecting to join his colleagues before protests were interrupted.
Police also fired teargas at protesters on their way back home. Some protesters took advantage of the teargas and started looting some people’s properties especially in Area 47 Sector 3.
No one is reported to have been arrested.
