An organisation which advocates for peace has condemned Minister of Homeland Security for inciting violence by encouraging communities to beat up rape suspects.
The minister responsible, Richard Chimwendo Banda, on Sunday advocated for mob justice against rape suspects saying suspects should never again walk free and clean to police once they are caught for defilement claiming beating them is the only solution to curbing the malpractice.
The minister went on to say that all theft suspects should be peacefully handed over to police but said that should not happen with rape suspects.
Reacting to the minister’s sentiments, PEFENAP Executive Director Edward Chaka said it is surprising to hear a full minister Homeland Security calling the public to violence.
Chaka told Malawi24 that it is a crime and unacceptable to call the public to violence and said the speech can lead to a rise in mob justice which will be difficult to curb.
He added that it is embarrassing to hear such words when Malawians are looking forward to seeing fruits of the new administration of which Chimwendo Banda is part of and added that the weight of a politician is evidenced in promoting peace and security for the citizens.
“It’s saddening to hear this coming from minister, the firefighting engine itself. Why turning a fire fighting engine into a fire fueling engine? Very surprising and too bad for a line minister. He should be exemplary.
“This is unacceptable, a call to violence that even can take a lot of resources for government to curb what he is touting now. A suspect is innocent until proven guilty by the court of law and it is a crime for the minister of homeland security to be promoting mob justice,” said Chaka.
He added that Chimwendo Banda needs a dose of humility and code of conduct to tame his tongue very well as such speeches from people like him may set the country into acts of violence against suspects and even innocent people.
