Chieftancy wrangles on Wednesday saw a house set on fire leaving four people severely injured in the area of the Group Village Headman Kayuni, Traditional Authority Kyungu in Malawi’s border district of Karonga, Maravi Post has learnt.
Confirming the development to our reporter on the ground, Karonga Police Stations Officer Roderick Mpeta said the four were referred to the district hospital to receive medical treatment.
According to Mpeta, the police managed to cool the situation and rescued the victims.
“Of course, some people have been injured at Lupembe, the area of GVH Kayuni due to chieftaincy wrangle with one house burnt into ashes but as I am talking as police, we cooled the situation,” said Mpeta.
He however disclosed that “no arrests have been made but we are investigating the matter.”
In his remarks, George Kaluwa, one of the eye witness said the four victims are the aids of Chief Kyungu who violated the system of pointing the new GVH Kayuni after the seat fell vacant due to death.
Kaluwa said the development annoyed the villagers who had their own predecessor.
“The community then started beating the four aids with different weapons but they were rescued by the police battalion.”
According to him, the four aids include Simfukwe, Katenga, Mwenifumbo and Mwenitanga.
However, Paramount Chief Kyungu’s Secretary Alexandria Mboma while confirming of having knowledge of the development said “I am not aware if the said victims are part of Kyungu’s aids.”
Issues of chieftaincy wrangles are popular in the district and have cost lives and destroyed properties of people.