Police, Lilongwe City Council halts stampede victims’ vigil

Police and Lilongwe City Council Wednesday halted plans by parents, guardians and victims of a stampede at Bingu National Stadium in 2017, to hold vigil at Capital Hill.

The group of 36 people were marching to the office of the Attorney General to demand speedy process of their compensations.

However, misunderstandings ensued along the Presidential Drive Road, where police blocked the road on the basis that the group had not been cleared by the City Council to hold the vigil but rather deliver a petition.

After a closed door meeting with the Council officers, chairperson of the group, Moses Kalipinde, said they will set another date in line with what they have been advised to do.

“They haven’t allowed us to continue with our vigil because we have not prepared to have good toilets, food and a source of water. We will go back home and arrange for another date because our plan is to hold a vigil not to present a petition since we already did that,” he said.

Kalipinde said the vigil plans followed after efforts by their lawyers to follow up on the matter with the government hit a snag.

At least 24 people sustained various degrees of injuries and eight children were killed in a stampede that happened on October 24, 2017 and since then they have been demanding compensation.

The group argued that there was gross negligence on the part of the state agencies involved that led to the stampede thus violating the right to life of the victims.

Lilongwe City Council Chief Executive Officer, John Chome, asked for more time as he was not in the office.