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PP declares ‘war’ on DPP over arson

Dausi: If they have evidence, why not report to police?
Dausi: If they have evidence, why not report to police?

Malawi President Joyce Banda’s ruling People’s Party (PP) has declared to avenge violent acts allegedly perpetrated by members of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in Mulanje if DPP does not stop provocation.

PP’s warning comes against the background of an incident in Mulanje where two houses belonging to PP district committee members, Pilani Chimpembeli and Alice Julio of Sapuwa Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Chikumbu in the district, were torched on Saturday.

PP deputy publicity secretary Ken Msonda said in a statement on Sunday the two houses in Mulanje Central Constituency were set on fire by alleged DPP followers.

Claimed Msonda: “We would like to strongly warn the DPP leadership that if the party continues with its barbaric acts of violence, People’s Party shall have no option but to retaliate to protect our members, supporters and followers.

“People’s Party has the ability, machinery, capacity and resources to hit-back [and] make DPP leadership, supporters and followers live miserable…”

But DPP spokesperson Nicholas Dausi distanced his party from the incident, saying according to the information DPP received, one of the houses burnt belongs to a PP official who is a relation to a member of DPP, living in the same village.

Dausi said the PP member was “actually coached” by his party to distort the information to implicate DPP.

Said Dausi: “But if they talk of capabilities to avenge, we know they have many capabilities and they can even kill. If they have evidence, why don’t they report to the police?”

Msonda: We have the capacity to retaliate
Msonda: We have the capacity to retaliate

In its statement, PP asked the police to investigate the matter.

PP said DPP is a party associated with brutality, barbaric acts, violence, killings and murder.

In an interview on Sunday, Msonda said PP members in the area identified the alleged arsonists as DPP members and the houses were attacked when the owners were at political meetings in the area.

However, Southern Region Police Headquarters spokesperson Nicholas Gondwa said there is no report of arson at Mulanje Police Station.

 

FAST FACTS

—PP was borne out of what initially started as Friends of Joyce Banda grouping that supported Banda, then estranged Vice-President to the late Bingu wa Mutharika.

—Political rivalry and tension among major parties is rising as the clock ticks closer to the May 20 2014 Tripartite Elections.

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