DPP accuses govt of blocking them from holding rallies

A war of words has ensued between the government officials and the leadership of the former ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) on alleged attempts by the government to block the party from holding rallies.

The DPP is planning other mass rallies after holding the party’s first rally last Sunday in Thyolo district, since the death of their founder Bingu wa Mutharika

DPP spokesperson Nicholas Dausi said they have information that the Peoples Party (PP) led government is allegedly planning to stop their Lilongwe rally, because officials were not amused with the Thyolo rally that was highly patronised.

Said Dausi: “We hear government has lined up so many intimidatory, collective and manipulative scare tactics that they would employ.

“But we are in a democracy, multiparty is here to say it’s a space for free, this is Malawi its nobody’s personal estate, so we say we are going ahead and we are ready to face any consequence.”

But the government’s spokesperson Moses Kunkuyu laughed off the allegations claiming that as a government, they are even ready to support the DPP to hold successful rallies as long as the party follow procedures.

Said Kunkuyu: “Government has no reason what so ever to stop the DPP or any other political party from holding a political rally anywhere in Malawi. They had one last week in Thyolo they were not stopped.

“ I wish to inform them that should they wish to have any media coverage, we are going to provide coverage for them. But trying to public sympathy through on those means is dumfounded.

The DPP is holding these rallies in all the regions of the country to reposition itself after founding itself out of the government due to Mutharika’s death.

The party is also re-strategising ahead of the general elections in 2014.