Police, vendors clash in Karonga demos

Business has come to a standstill today in the border district of Karonga where business people held demonstrations  to push Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) and  Police to remove road blocks on the road.

Apparently, Karonga business community wants Iponga MRA, Rukuru Police, Ipyana Police and Chilumba MRA road blocks removed, saying the district has too many road blocks that are collecting money from cross-border traders.

According to the group’s chairperson Goodwin Ghambi, they decided to go to the street after MRA and police failed to respond to their concerns when they gave the tax-collecting body  three weeks to address them.

However, ugly scenes started at Rukuru road block where there were  running battles between police and demonstrators who overpowered the police and snatched four riffles and tear gass carnisters, injuring seven police officers in the process.

In an interview, Karonga Police Station officer in-charge assistant commissioner Sam Nkhwazi could neither deny nor confirm the development, saying he wanted to ensure first the safety of his officers.

However, a visit at Karonga DHO confirmed that seven police officers had been treated as out- patients