The Malawi police on Sunday said they had arrested nearly 70 protesters who have been demonstrating across the country following disputed results from May’s election won by President Peter Mutharika, reported Yahoo News. The arrest comes a day after President Mutharika accused protesters of plotting to oust his government.
During the country’s 55th Independence Day celebration in Blantyre on Saturday, the president said he has learned the protests are aimed at toppling his government and have nothing to do with election results. The protest’s organizers denied the accusations and say they cannot be intimidated.
“Let me assure them that they will take over this government over my dead body,” he said. “They will never, never take over this country. Let me warn them.”
Mutharika said his government will get to those leading the violent protests in the country. He also called for peace in the country.
“This is the day we must raise our flags of patriotism,” said Mutharika. “This is a day everyone must show how we love this country. Malawi is the only country that we have. If we destroy this country, as we are currently doing, we have destroyed ourselves.”
Malawi has faced street protests since the election commission declared President Mutharika as the election second with 35 percent, while Vice President Saulos Chilima’s opposition United Transformation Movement Party came third with 20 percent. Both Chakwera and Chilima have challenged the election results in court, alleging ballot-stuffing and the use of popular correction fluid to alter ballots.
The protest organizers on Sunday vowed to go back to the streets calling for the electoral commission chief Jane Ansah, to resign. They have scheduled a new round of protests on Monday.
