Questions are being raised about the recent torching of a minibus carrying sympathisers of the former governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) at Mponela in Dowa.
A video showing the minibus engulfed in flames has gone viral, with some voices pointing fingers at the governing Malawi Congress Party (MCP).
However, MCP has strongly distanced itself from the incident, condemning such acts. Ken Nsonda, the party’s second deputy publicity secretary, has been quoted in the local media as saying the DPP is known for such acts in the past, and this incident may be part of a pattern.
“People can recall how a ministry of agriculture office was gutted down by fire, in addition to that family in area 23 whose four members were killed in that inferno. So all those incidents make one not to doubt that the Mponela fire could have been staged by the DPP,” Nsonda said
Matchona Nseteka, a safety expert, has also questioned how a minibus full of DPP supporters could be torched with a security detail comprising retired army officers, including the party’s national youth director, Norman Chisale.
The MCP has called on the police to thoroughly investigate the incident, with others urging political parties, particularly the DPP, to focus on issue-based campaigns rather than cheap propaganda aimed at creating unnecessary tension ahead of the September 16 polls.
