Malawi Government Defends Use of Teargas on Former President Chakwera
The confrontation underscored sharpening political frictions around the holiday. The MCP had shunned the official State ceremony, arguing Chakwera was sidelined from the national event due to what authorities labeled “protocol complications.”
What began as a solemn tribute to Malawi’s founding leader, Hastings Kamuzu Banda, quickly unraveled on Kamuzu Day when police deployed tear gas to break up Malawi Congress Party supporters escorting former president Lazarus Chakwera to the Kamuzu Mausoleum in Lilongwe.
The confrontation underscored sharpening political frictions around the holiday. The MCP had shunned the official State ceremony, arguing Chakwera was sidelined from the national event due to what authorities labeled “protocol complications.”
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Government spokesperson Shadric Namalomba defended the security response, saying the MCP-led procession was unlawful and warranted no leniency. He accused the party of staging an illegal assembly and march without authorization from the police or the Lilongwe City Council.
