The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) says it is disappointed with what it has described as continued political violence by the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) against the opposition parties ahead of the forthcoming elections next year.
The party, through a press statement signed by the Presidential and Party Spokesperson Shadric Namalomba, described the latest attack on Alliance For Development (AFORD) members in Mponela as unacceptable.
DPP wonders why this is happening when the country is celebrating 30 years of democracy and has also blamed MCP president Lazarus Chakwera for turning a blind eye to such incidents that deserves total condemnation.
“This comes at a time when we are celebrating 30 years of Democracy in this country. The DPP warns the MCP and its leadership that this is not the Democracy that we fought for against the one-party state, the MCP state.
“The DPP is however not surprised that despite the MCP benefitting from the fruits of Democracy which they vehemently opposed, the MCP with its President Chakwera is now at the forefront unleashing political violence on opposition parties. The saddening reality is the deafening silence by Chakwera in condemning these evil acts,” reads part of the statement.
The DPP has since called on the Malawi Police Service to investigate and apprehend the perpetrators of this string of political violence.
On Friday 17th May 2024, AFORD members in Mponela, particularly women and the youth who were doing preparatory rehearsals for their Mega Rally on Sunday, the 19th May 2024, were severely beaten and their party clothes were savagely torn by suspected members of MCP.
However, the National Publicity Secretary for MCP Ezekiel Ching’oma says the allegations are not true and has urged AFORD to properly investigate the incident before coming to this conclusion.
