Malawi hip-hop star Fredokiss speaks on his arrest: “It was mistaken identity”

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)—Penjani Kalua who is popularly known as Fredokiss in music circles, has come out in the open to clear the mist surrounding his arrests in Rumphi for allegedly causing havoc on the polling day, saying it was a mistaken identity.

Kalua, who is also a son to political heavyweight Kamlepo Kalua of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), was arrested on Tuesday by police in Rumphi for allegedly giving handouts to people on the voting in a bid to entice them to vote for the ruling DPP.

But writing on his facebook page, Kalua says the police arrested him instead of his relatives who were suspected to have caused trouble and interfering with the electoral process.

“I went to Rumphi to see my father. I understand there was a situation where my relations were reported by a police officer posted at Mlowe for causing trouble and interfering with the electoral process. I was not in Mlowe myself. The officer who reported this had all the names of all suspects in his report and files and these were described as “Ana a Kamlepo,” wrote Kalua.

“On my way to Mlowe at Chiweta we Met MDF officers who took us to Chiweta police station. The senior MDF Officer who came from Mzuzu emphasised we were not arrested but that with my Popularity as an artist my presence was likely to compromise the electoral process and that I was to stay away until voting was closed. He also feared that there would be violence and him putting me away was for my own good

“We were moved from Chiweta to Rumphi police out of the Constituency. When the officer who reported the incidences from Mlowe came to Rumphi with his statements and report, he was surprised I was the one taken when I was not among those reported. He spoke to me and confirmed the misinformation. I was released same morning on bail and I was charged with “MEC Violation,” he added.

Fredokiss has further congratulated the incoming President His Excellency Chakwera and the coming in government.

“As a Change agent, I hope for a better and changed Malawi. I hope your new government will bring in the Change the Majority of Malawians are looking for,” he said.

Fredokiss also competed for the parliamentary seat in Blantyre City South constituency but lost to Noel Lipipa.

Maneno Chimulala

I am a journalist, educator, and activist with passion for telling stories about social justice, sports and political issues. I graduated from Mzuzu University. I started my career at the Maravi Post online publication in 2012 as an intern while in college. Upon graduating from Mzuzu University I was offered a job as Sports Reporter because of my background as a goalkeeper and rose to the position of sub editor. I also had a short stint with Nyasatimes, Malawi Punch and Malawi Digest. Over the past seven years, I have worked intimately with rural organizations and communities in Malawi on human rights, girl child education and grassroots development projects. With an academic background in education, I also volunteer as male champion for girls’ education under Girls Empowerment Networks (GENET) in Malawi’s South West Education Division (SWED).