PP condemns recent riots, quash DPP claims

The ruling People’s Party (PP) has condemned the recent riots by alleged sympathizers of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) following the arrests of twelve people implicated in the Bingu inquiry report.

Scores of the rioters , wearing DPP colours caused havoc in police stations where the suspects were being held demanding their release. The Police had to fire teargas to disperse them.

The PP describes the riots as “unlawful conduct of obstruction of justice and violence that is tantamount to acts calculated to prejudice the due course of justice by the DPP members.”

“The DPP members have shown that they are now law-abiding citizens in their actions which have been largely violent or bent to disrupt peace in Malawi. The DPP members are taking the law into their own hands in these Obstruction and violence,” reads the PP statement made available to the media and signed by the Party’s Publicity Secretary Homphmally Makande.

The ruling party further distanced itself from claims by the DPP that the government had a hand in the riots.

The DPP spokesperson Nicholas Dausi speaking from a police cell alleged that “the government and people’s party have bought almost 150 DPP T-shirts and give them to some political hooligans going there to masquerading as if they are DPP.”

The rioters were seen in the streets burning tyres, blocking roads and chanting anti-government songs in the bid to force authorities to release their party leaders.

In response the PP politburo say : “Associating PP with such violence is very unfortunate. People’s Party is in control of the Government and our main policy is to abide by the rule of law, as such we can never do such a thing.

“The DPP is hiding behind PP instead of taking responsibility of their actions. We have no reason to support the DPP in inciting violence.

“We are a peace loving party and we would like to let justice prevail in any situation and on any citizen of the country.”

The DPP spokesperson alleged that the party has evidence that PP followers were going around country streets, court and other places wearing t-shirts for its supporters to create quandary so that they have reasons to delay the release of the suspects from police custody.

The suspects are answering charges ranging from treason to inciting mutiny.