‘Malawi is not a lawless state’ – Mutharika

President Peter Mutharika has warned that he will deal with opposition political party leaders who want to turn the country into lawless state.

He told people in Blantyre on Saturday during celebration of the country’s 55^th Independence Day that the opposition are using demonstrations organized by civil society organizations to overthrow his government.

“They know they lost elections big time. What they are trying to do is to try to destabilize this country and take over this government. Let me assure them that they topple this government over my dead body. They will never take over this government. Let me warn you,” said Mutharika

Mutharika further continued by saying that what is unacceptable citing that what these people are doing is turning the country into a lawless state.

He continued by warning that they will face the law.

“The time is coming you will see the force of the law. The law will take its action and force will meet with force. I promise you that now,” he said.

He therefore called upon Malawians to remain peaceful and warned those perpetrating violence that they will be held accountable to the damage on property.

“Let me explain the political situation that we are in. The violence that you see is calculated to turn Malawi into a lawless state. That is why they want to undermine every democratic institution that ensures law and order in the country. They want to undermine our courts because they make us democratic and lawful. They want to intimidate our chiefs because chiefs are constituents of traditional laws.

According to Mutharika, the opposition leaders and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) want to undermine Malawi Electoral Commission because this is a body that oversees democratic institutions. They are creating propaganda against army and police because they are hardworking security officers to keep law and order.

The country has recently witnessed nationwide demonstration organized by CSOs who are demanding resignation of Malawi Electoral Commission Chairperson Dr. Jane Ansah.

They are accusing her of mismanaging May 21 elections but she insists she will never resign unless court rules that she indeed mismanaged the polls.

Leaders of opposition Malawi Congress Party, Lazarus Chakwera and UTM’s Saulos Chilima are challenging the elections in court, seeking a rerun and have been joining the anti-Ansah protests.

President Mutharika won the elections seconded by Chakwera while Chilima came third.