Lilongwe: MALAWI President Peter Mutharika has vowed to use “all necessary force” to crush opposition protests set to begin on Monday aimed at shutting the country’s borders and airports.
The Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) has written to foreign embassies in the country notifying them on their proposed demonstrations to shutdown airports and other points of entry till Friday, 30 August.
In a letter to the embassies, HRDC argues that the decision to hold protests in the airports follows government’s failure to opposition demands to fire Jane Ansah as Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson.
Mutharika accused the opposition and HRDC of attempting to illegally overthrow his government.
“I have no choice but to take necessary measures to protect the borders with all necessary force. I am directing the police and MDF to stop these demonstrations,” Mutharika is quoted saying in his address to the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) in the south-eastern district of Mangoch.
“Without the borders, there is no Malawi. These people are waging war on our country and it’s treasonous.”
Thousands of Malawians have taken to the streets of various cities in recent months to protest the results of the May 21 elections, in which Mutharika was declared winner with 38.67% of the vote.
The protesters have threatened a three-day shutdown of the country’s borders and airports, starting 26 August.
The Constitutional Court is currently hearing a case brought by the opposition to have the election results annulled over irregularities.
Source: SADCNews/Additional Reporting by AllNetAfrica
