By Vincent Gunde
A bona-fide citizen of Malawi Rick Dzida, has pleaded with political party leaders including President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera and former President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika to issue a formal statement advising their political adherence to desist from any form of political violence.
Suspected members of the MCP dressed in DPP attires on 24th February, 2024 ambushed DPP members in Lilongwe when they were about to start their peaceful Blue Convoy Parade to encourage their followers register in their large number in readiness for the 16th September, 2025 General Elections.
Media reports reported that about 21 DPP members were hacked by panga knives and were seen battling for their lives at the Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe, Police and MCP released their statements that DPP members ambushed themselves as they are in two camps.
Identities of the attackers were made available and their locations and businesses they are plying in Lilongwe City calling on the Malawi Police Service (MPS) to arrest MCP thugs, but to this day, no arrests have been made.
A week before the 24th February, 2024 incident, DPP members from Mtandire Township in Lilongwe were beaten by MCP thugs, whipped with big sticks, had their t-shirts and Zitenje’s torn into pieces at the Kamuzu Mausoleum-City Centre, there have been no word from President Chakwera and the MCP till this day.
In Phalombe, a DPP member Tiaone Hendele, was arrested by Police after handing herself to the Phalombe Police Station for inciting violence where a video clip went viral on 2nd March, 2024 urging DPP members not to allow MCP holding any meeting in the district claiming that Phalombe is a DPP stronghold.
Within a week after Tiaone Hendere was arrested, a man dressed in MCP regalia was seen in a video clip vowing to chop heads of all those that are against President Chakwera’s leadership as long they are found insulting and castigating him.
Many Malawians including Political activist Bon Elias Kalindo called upon the police to arrest and prosecute the man for Malawians to trust the police for discharging their duties professionally, but to this date, police have made no arrest.
In an open national address to President Chakwera, Professor Mutharika, Dr. Saulosi Chilima, Chief Justice and other state institutions, Rick Dzida says the current political violence that has ensued between the ruling MCP and the DPP supporters are a threat to national security.
Dzida has described the political violence as a very pathetic situation happening when the country is drawing near towards the 2025 Tripartite General Elections claiming that the two major antagonistic parties, MCP and DPP are the ones that are involved in such political fracas.
“I humbly request leaders of all political entity to advise their party members to desist from deliberately provoking each other,” reads part of Dida’s national address.
On a sad note, President Chakwera and his Ministers have chosen to remain silent without condemning their members from inciting violence against members of the opposition parties particularly the DPP a development which is raising fears that 2025 will be a bloody war.
Dzida has finally prayed to all political parties, MCP and DPP to take full responsibility to ensure that 2025 Tripartite General Elections are conducted in a peaceful free, fair, transparent, and credible manner.
