Women to march for justice
NGO Gender Coordination Network (NGO-GCN) says all is set for today’s march in Lilongwe to protest the alleged assault of women by police officers.
NGO-GCN national coordinator Joseph Njala said in an interview on Thursday that the march is aimed at sending a strong message that people are not happy with what happened.
He said: “We are marching so that the message goes far and the actions be taken fast. There are certain conditions we want the investigations to adhere to. The petition has been addressed to the President [Peter Mutharika] and we will deliver it at Lilongwe City Council civic offices.”
There were running battles on October 8 2019 between police and communities in Msundwe over what started as a protest against governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)plan to hold a rally at Kamuzu Institute for Sports which ended in stoning of Police Mobile Service (PMS) Superintendent Usumani Imedi.
About 43 people from Msundwe, Mb’watalika and Mpingu, areas on the outskirts of Lilongwe City, were later arrested and they appeared in court. Four have since been charged with murder and are scheduled to appear in court soon while 39 have been granted bail.
Reports indicate that when police went to arrest the 43, spouses, relatives of the accused and school girls in self-boarding were assaulted by the police, with some allegedly raped and battered.
Malawi Police Service last week announced it had instituted investigations into the allegations.
NGO-GCN expressed worry over the alleged uman rights violations by the police, especially to women and girls; hence, the march. They have asked all marchers to wear black.
The march is expected to start from Crossroads Roundabout on Kamuzu Procession Road to Amina House Roundabout on Paul Kagame Road to Kamuzu Central Hospital and to Lilongwe Civic Offices.
