Malawi Police Service arrested 68 people for looting and injuring police officers during the post-election demonstrations last week.
The protests, which were organized by the (Malawi) Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) and graced by the opposition, were meant to be peaceful but the situation went out of hand.
Malawi Police Service spokesperson, James Kadadazera disclosed in a statement that the police had arrested 68 people in relation to the Thursday and Friday across the country.
“The MPs strongly condemns the criminal acts and looting that resurfaced during the demonstrations in Lilongwe, Blantyre, Zomba, Mzuzu, Rumphi, and Karonga on Thursday,” wrote the police spokesperson.
“The law enforcers are vigilant and alert in making sure that everything is under control, day and night,” said the police spokesperson in the statement, adding: “We have put in place strategies and modalities so that citizens can normally access services at hospitals, schools, shops, and markets.”
He also in the statement condemned the violence and warned Malawians against spreading social messages which propagate hate and violence saying people behind this would be traced, arrested and brought before the court to answer charges.
According to Kadadzera, 39 people have been arrested in Lilongwe, 18 in Mzuzu and 11 in Rumphi up north.
The law enforcers have recovered 55 out of 231 bicycles which were stolen from Mzuzu ADD offices on Thursday. They have also recovered four computer monitors and two CPUs.
The HRDC and opposition parties in Malawi have been taking to the streets to force the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson, Jane Ansah, to resign for allegedly mismanaging the country’s elections held on May 21.
