PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
One killed, several shot in Malawi day of rage
Blantyre, Malawi (PANA) - One person has been confirmed dead while several others were injured during nationwide demonstrations in Malawi, police and civil society leaders have confirmed.
"Yes, there has been a death here in Mzuzu," Northern Region Police spokesman Norah Chimwala, told PANA.
A police vehicle was also smashed by angry demonstrators in the city. Several police officers were beaten up, some seriously "and had to be taken to hospital," according to Chimwala.
In reaction, police fired teargas, rubber and live bullets but Chimwala could not say whether the dead man was killed by police.
However, Rev. Mezuwa Banda of the Livingstonia Synod of the Church of Central Africa Presbeterian (CCAP), said two people were shot by police earlier in the day.
"I picked two people in my car, who were shot with live bullets by police," Banda said, adding "I don't know whether they will survive because they were shot badly. One was shot in the stomach and the bullet came out through the other side, the other had his liver and bowels out."
Another cleric, the Rev. Maurice Muthali of the same church, also told PANA: "Five people were also shot by the bus depot in Mzuzu. They are seriously injured. We are not sure of their condition."
Nobody at Mzuzu Central Hospital could confirm the reports on record but a nurse told PANA: "We have seven people in the hospital right now, some are in a serious condition. Some have the innsides - like intenstines - out."
In Lilongwe, the demonstrations also turned ugly as police teargassed people in the townships as they tried to join the demonstrators in the city.
Several shops and other companies belonging to known ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) officials were broken into and looted, according to the police.
In Blantyre, police also fired teargas and several shops were looted. People were agitated after being forced to wait from 9am (time for the scheduled demonstration) till 1pm because of an injunction taken out by one so-called 'Concerned Citizen' Chiza Mbekeani.
Some of the protestors poured into the streets and broke some shops but police were on hand with teargas carnisters so no shop was looted.
In the eastern city of Zomba, thousands of people also held demonstrations but there were no violent incidents.
Meanwhile, the protesters beat up Chairman of the Human Rights Consultative Committee (CHRR), Undule Mwakasungula, main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) spokesman Nancy Tembo, and Anjimile-Ntilka-Oponyo, sister to estranged Vice-President Joyce Banda and a journalist, Rebecca Chimjeka of former president Bakili Muluzi's private Joy Radio.
-0- PANA RT/BOS 20July2011
"Yes, there has been a death here in Mzuzu," Northern Region Police spokesman Norah Chimwala, told PANA.
A police vehicle was also smashed by angry demonstrators in the city. Several police officers were beaten up, some seriously "and had to be taken to hospital," according to Chimwala.
In reaction, police fired teargas, rubber and live bullets but Chimwala could not say whether the dead man was killed by police.
However, Rev. Mezuwa Banda of the Livingstonia Synod of the Church of Central Africa Presbeterian (CCAP), said two people were shot by police earlier in the day.
"I picked two people in my car, who were shot with live bullets by police," Banda said, adding "I don't know whether they will survive because they were shot badly. One was shot in the stomach and the bullet came out through the other side, the other had his liver and bowels out."
Another cleric, the Rev. Maurice Muthali of the same church, also told PANA: "Five people were also shot by the bus depot in Mzuzu. They are seriously injured. We are not sure of their condition."
Nobody at Mzuzu Central Hospital could confirm the reports on record but a nurse told PANA: "We have seven people in the hospital right now, some are in a serious condition. Some have the innsides - like intenstines - out."
In Lilongwe, the demonstrations also turned ugly as police teargassed people in the townships as they tried to join the demonstrators in the city.
Several shops and other companies belonging to known ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) officials were broken into and looted, according to the police.
In Blantyre, police also fired teargas and several shops were looted. People were agitated after being forced to wait from 9am (time for the scheduled demonstration) till 1pm because of an injunction taken out by one so-called 'Concerned Citizen' Chiza Mbekeani.
Some of the protestors poured into the streets and broke some shops but police were on hand with teargas carnisters so no shop was looted.
In the eastern city of Zomba, thousands of people also held demonstrations but there were no violent incidents.
Meanwhile, the protesters beat up Chairman of the Human Rights Consultative Committee (CHRR), Undule Mwakasungula, main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) spokesman Nancy Tembo, and Anjimile-Ntilka-Oponyo, sister to estranged Vice-President Joyce Banda and a journalist, Rebecca Chimjeka of former president Bakili Muluzi's private Joy Radio.
-0- PANA RT/BOS 20July2011
