By Cathy Maulidi:
There were ugly scenes during Thursday demonstrations in Lilongwe as unknown civilians carrying pangas and other weapons disrupted the activity.
Activists Bon Kalindo and Redson Munlo organised the demonstrations as they wanted to deliver a petition to the State House, asking President Lazarus Chakwera to resign.
According to the two, Chakwera has failed to govern, as witnessed by the rising cost of living, hunger, shortage of forex and other challenges.
“We want the President to resign. He promised that he would resign within two years if he failed to deliver. As such, this is just a call to him. He has failed to govern the country and must step down,” said Kalindo shortly before violence erupted.
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The demonstrations, which started around 10am from Lilongwe community ground, were peaceful until the demonstrators got to Lilongwe’s flea market.
At the flea market, they were met with a group of civilians that threw stones at them, telling them not to proceed with the demos.
The civilians, about 100 and carrying pangas, axes and stones, started stoning the demonstrators when they approached the boundary-of-stones which the disrupters had made.
At first, police fired teargas at the civilians who came to block the demos before one officer told them to stop firing teargas canisters.
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After disbursing the demonstrators, the civilians were left at the spot, where they chanted anti-Kalindo songs.
Meanwhile, Kalindo has vowed not to relent on demonstrations.
“Democracy has been challenged and we will stand up for our rights,” Kalindo said.
Meanwhile, Malawi Police Service spokesperson Peter Kalaya has said police did their work professionally.
