The Malawi Police Service has come under litmus test on whether it will surely bring to book culprits of violence on yesterday’s demonstrations in Lilongwe.
The demonstrations turned chaotic when unidentified thugs intercepted the protests, beating the lead organizer Sylvester Namiwa, torching two vehicles, and harassing journalists in full view of police and Malawi Defence Force.
The incident happened just a month after Inspector General of Police Merlyn Yolamu made a commitment during a conference in Blantyre which was organized by a Quasi-religious group, Public Affairs Committee that her office would put to an end the escalating violence.
The assurance came at the conference after Yolamu was accused of impartiality in handling cases of violence, with opposition becoming disadvantaged mostly.
But she assured the public that police put in place workable mechanisms to address the situation.
No sooner people hoped that the commitment would translate to no political violence than the demonstrations in the capital city turned ugly.
The incident meanwhile has attracted several reservations on actions of the police in regards to ending the barbarism as the countdown of September 16 elections continue.
One of the stakeholders who have so far expressed dismay with yesterday’s police action is PAC through its spokesperson Bishop Gilford Matonga who said the actions were uncalled for.
Matonga is also skeptical on whether IG’s commitment during its conference was genuine.
Also throwing weight is Malawi Law Society (MLS) that terms the incident in Lilongwe as a deliberate violation of a constitutional right to demonstration.
Both PAC and MLS believe that its high time President Lazarus Chakwera should remove Inspector General of Police claiming that she has failed to deliver up to the public expectations.
“It will not be wrong if President Chakwera fires the IG,” said Matonga.
Meanwhile, the police say they have not apprehended any culprit as investigations are still underway.
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