Villagers in Salima turn violent against acting T/A Kuluunda

Angry villagers in Traditional Authority (T/A) Kuluunda on Friday set ablaze a house belonging to group village head Kuluunda, Fanny Fanuel, who was last month appointed as acting T/A after the suspension of Bibi Kuluunda, born Adija Biti Chapola.

According to Salima Police spokesperson, Gift Chitowe, the villagers also torched 20 houses of relatives and alleged supporters of the suspended chief.

“Other houses and property were just damaged during the fracas,” said Chitowe.

He said perpetrators of the violence also killed some livestock belonging to the suspended chief’s relatives.

Chitowe has also confirmed that so far five people have been arrested in connection with the violence.

According to Chitowe, the five who have been arrested are Azibi Adam (24), Ibrahim Adam (21), Alex M’dala (40), Phonex Mangwere and Harry Soko (19).

“We hope to arrest some more people today [yesterday]. Some police officers stayed overnight in the area to ensure that the violence does not continue,” he said.

The Friday violence followed another one, which happened on Monday at Kachulu headquarters where villagers disrupted an area development committee (ADC) meeting and beat up the committee’s secretary, Daudi Hussein, son to the suspended chief.

According to sources, the villagers are challenging the decision to put group village head Kuluunda, who is a direct sister of the suspended chief and have threatened to continue being violent until she is removed as acting chief.

President Peter Mutharika suspended Senior Chief Bibi Kuluunda in May this year following her subjects’ call for her removal over alleged corruption. n