DPP accuses MCP, UTM of assaulting its monitors

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has accused Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and UTM Party supporters of assaulting its monitors in the Central Region to prevent them from monitoring Tuesday’s fresh presidential election.

DPP publicity secretary Nicholas Dausi made the allegations yesterday during a press conference he addressed in Blantyre alongside the party’s director of research Mark Botomani.

He said the alleged attack, especially in Lilongwe, was a systematic and deliberate ploy by MCP and UTM—two of the nine parties in Tonse Alliance—to frustrate their monitors.

Dausi, who is also Minister of Homeland Security, said: “In the Lilongwe Kasiya area, our monitors were chased and prevented from performing their statutory duties by members of the nyau and gulewamkulu cult. Resultantly, DPP monitors had virtually no access to monitor the electoral process in Lilongwe Kasiya and Lilongwe Mapuyu North.”

He said DPP lodged a formal complaint to Malawi Electoral Commission.

On his part, Botomani, who is also Minister of Information, Civic Education and Communications Technology, expressed optimism that the commission will handle the complaint without fear or favour.

MEC chairperson Chifundo Kachale acknowledged that the commission had received complaints from both DPP and MCP.

However, on Tuesday, during a briefing after close of voting, Kachale, Malawi Defence Force and Malawi Police Service representatives indicated that there were no cases of violence or intimidation that disrupted the voting process nationwide.

Their position was corroborated by Elections Observation Consortium, a grouping of local election observers, which said the voting went on smoothly.

Reacting to DPP accusations, MCP secretary general Eisenhower Mkaka accused DPP of bias in reporting on the violence during Tuesday’s election.

He said: “What they are not mentioning is that our monitor was hacked in Thyolo and that Daud Suleman was beaten in Phalombe. What they are not mentioning is that our monitors in Chikwawa were chased.”