BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-The main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Vice President Sidik Mia on Monday penned the Minister of Homeland and Security Nicholas Dausi and his deputy Charles Mchacha, Inspector General of Police Rodney Jose over the fracas that occurred at Msondole in Zomba after the police tried to stop Mia rally.
The police argued that Mia’s rally could not be held saying President Peter Mutharika was passing by.
Eventually, angry MCP supporters to chase away the officers where eventually the rally was held.
But in a press statement made available to The Maravi Post to both Dausi and Jose, the MCP VIP advises the duo that Malawi Police is not a political wing of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) that can be used to abuse other political parties.
Below is the full Mia statement;
TO MINISTER OF HOMELAND SECURITY, INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE AND MCP SUPPORTERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
Honorable Nicolas Dausi and Charles Mchacha,
Malawi Police is not a political wing of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) that you can use and abuse for political expediency. What happened yesterday, unleashing the Police to attempt to disrupt our rally at Zomba Msondole, was absurd.
It must be put on record that you will solely be held responsible for any blood spillage if you continue with this thuggish use of the police to disturb peaceful people from exercising their right to freedom of association and/or lawful assembly as enshrined under section 32(1) of the republican constitution.
The President was due to travel using Zomba road to Mangochi— about 20 to 25 kilometers from where we were conducting our rally. It was therefore flimsy and outrageous to claim that such a rally posed a security threat to the President. This abuse of the police must stop.
TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE,
Malawi Congress Party (MCP) is a law abiding establishment. We are law abiding people. The Malawi Police, of which you are the Inspector General, is for all of us Malawians—whether those in government or those in opposition.
We expect professionalism from you and your men. Please don’t bow to senseless orders calculated at advancing partisan interests of the DPP. Do your job professionally and in a nonpartisan manner. You are our sons and daughters. Be loyal to the Malawi flag and not the DPP.
I must therefore thank your men for retreating when they attempted to disrupt our rally. They saw no merit in pursuing such a senseless operation. They must be commended.
TO OUR SUPPORTERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY,
I want to assure you that we will not be intimidated. We are law abiding citizens and we will strongly challenge those who are hell-bent on abusing state institutions to pursue their political agenda.
As most of you are aware, we stormed Mponela Trading Centre, Chambwe and Chilowamatambe with whistle-stop tours before a big rally at Kasungu Community Ground on Saturday. On Sunday, we were in Balaka before storming Zomba Msondole. We are moving forward and we will not be discouraged. Rest assured that we will leave no stone unturned until we restore sanity in the country.
Pray for us. Pray for our Police. Pray for peace.
May God Bless Malawi.
Sidik Mia
MCP Vice President