Kasungu motorcyclists protest
By Dyson Kamwana:
Angry motorcycle taxi operators in Kasungu District Wednesday bayed for the blood of a suspected motorcycle robber and wreaked havoc by blocking roads in the municipality.
The angry operators demanded the release of motor bikes Kasungu Police Station seized.
The demonstrations happened after a suspected thief was caught on Tuesday night and implicated a police officer as among his accomplices.
Kasungu Police Station spokesperson, Harry Namwaza, said the mob of the motorcycle taxi operators eventually burned the suspect who was an ex-convict.
“Identified only as Madalitso, the suspect was convicted of robbery and was released from prison recently. Upon realising that he is back in town, they mobilised themselves and set him ablaze, “Namwaza said.
Namwaza said upon realising that he could not escape, the suspect revealed the name of another person as the one who is keeping one of the stolen motorcycles.
Some motorcycle Kabaza operators went to the implicated person’s house where they found the motorcycle. Police have arrested the second suspect.
“We discussed with the chairperson of motorcycle operators to stop the demonstration but when some people joined the crowd and blocked M1 Road, police fired teargas canisters to disperse the crowd,” Namwaza said.
Motorcycle operators Chairperson, Haward Nyirenda, said they hope justice would prevail on those implicated in the issue.
“We were called by the Police Station Officer-in-Charge to discuss the way forward on the issue. We will stop them from going ahead with demonstrations because we have agreed that the matter will be dealt with accordingly,” Nyirenda said.
There was no vandalism and looting cases during the demonstrations but most of shops remained closed.
Two months ago, bicycle operators held protests in the district leading to the damage of Kasungu Municipal Council offices and motor vehicles.—Mana
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