Police on Monday blocked people who were demonstrating against installation of new Traditional Authority Mankhambira in Nkhatabay District.
Demonstrators wanted to present their petition to the District Commissioner’s office against the coronation of Baldwin Banda as new Chief Mankhambira.
The demonstrators wanted to present their petition expressing their discontent with the coronation of Baldwin Banda instead of Vutani Kondowe whom they say is a rightful heir to the throne of Mankhambira chieftancy.
Nkhatabay Police Public Relations Officer, Sergeant Kondwani James, said the police was well notified in advance that the demonstrators plotted to cause pandemonium at government offices hence blocking them 100 meters away from the offices.
“Its not a matter of blocking them as by the way, but we were reliably informed that these villagers wanted to disrupt government business by holding vigils at the government offices so we contained them almost 100 meters away from the District Commissioners offices,” James said.
Speaking in an interview on behalf of the Mankhambira family, Gilbert Kondowe said what the police did by blocking the protestors is an infringement of freedom and promised to come again.
“This is an infringement of a right of humanity to hold demonstration as enshrined in the republican constitution, let the president and his vice intervene in this wrangle, because we need our chieftaincy back, we shall come again very soon,” Khondowe said.
The Nkhatabay Council Director of Finance, Chris Tsalaniponi who received a verbal petition on behalf of the DC, said it was convenient to listen to the verbal grievances at a distance where government business could not be disrupted.
However, Tsalaniponi hinted that government only complied with the High Court ruling which favoured Baldwin Banda to be inaugurated as new Traditional Authority Mankhambira.
