Malawi CSOs blame police for shop break ins, looting during June 20 demos over little workforce

protesters destroy shops in Lilongwe

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The country’s Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) under the banner of Human Rights Defenders Coalition officials (HRDC) have condemned the property damage and looting that followed the peaceful demonstrations.

The grouping has therefore accused the police of deploying a few law enforcers on the road to enforce law and order.

In a press statement made available to The Maravi Post, HRDC chairperson Timothy Mtambo said the property damage which included shop break ins and looting were done by hooligans who hijacked the peaceful event.

Mtambo observed that it was however surprising that law enforcers who accompanied the marchers were just a few of them compared to other organized peaceful protests in the past.

“The provision of the number of the law enforcers during the protests raises a number of questions,” said Mtambo, saying in Lilongwe, the police provided just 15 of them against thousands of protesters.

He said during meetings, the police were informed that the turn-out of the protesters would be overwhelming.

“Surprisingly, the police who were with us, did not enforce law and order and just watched as hooligans damaged property,” said Mtambo.

Mtambo’s comment come at a time when Malawians on social media platforms allege the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) cadets were sent to masquerade as protesters but turned to be hooligans to discredit the peaceful democratic protests.

June 20, 2019 demonstrations aimed at forcing Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson Dr. Jane Ansah to resign for having a hand on May 21 polls’ electoral fraud.

CSOs including opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and UTM have given Dr. Ansah 14 days to resign but if she fails to do so, more protests will continue.