Heavily armed police fired teargas at UTM Party President Dalitso Kabambe and other leaders from the Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI), who had gathered at Lilongwe Community Ground to start demonstrations against the government’s handling of the fuel crisis.
The protesters, who were initially dispersed by police using teargas, regrouped but were then confronted by a group of men suspected to be Malawi Congress Party (MCP) thugs.
The thugs were armed with pangas, sticks, and iron bars.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing two young women dressed in black, who appeared to be giving instructions to the armed group.
The situation escalated, with the M1 road becoming a battleground and vehicles being diverted due to the ongoing clashes.
The police’s use of teargas is not an isolated incident, as they have previously used similar tactics to disperse supporters of opposition parties.
The ongoing clashes have caused traffic disruptions, leaving commuters stranded, and have raised concerns about the safety of protesters and the role of political party thugs in disrupting peaceful demonstrations.
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