Mayaya to go on with State House shutdown demos amid arrest of Trapence, Sembereka

One of the Human Right Activist Billy Mayaya has vowed to go on with the planned demonstrations to Shutdown State House residence despite the arrest of Human Right Defenders Coalition (HRDC) Vice Chairperson Gift Trapence and Macdonald Sembereka.

On Sunday night, the Malawi Police Service arrested Sembereka and Trapence on grounds that they mobilized people to seal all the State Residences.

The police are also hunting for Timothy Mtambo who is in hiding at the moment.

“Ngakhale mwawamanga azanga a HRDC, ife we are still going ahead with our 5 million march to all State Houses! No retreat No surrender!,” wrote Mayaya on his official facebook page.

The arrest on Trapence and Sembereka came barely hours after President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika ordered the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) and the Malawi Police Service to use force on HRDC members.

HRDC members are pushing for Mutharika to assent to new electoral bills and at the same time fire all Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Commissioners.