Chancy Namadzunda, AfricaNews reporter in Lilongwe, Malawi

Malawi Ministry of Lands vehicle was used by thugs to attack a rights activist, Lawrence Bisika in the eastern city, Zomba on September 21 when they were organizing anti-government demonstrations.

Confirmed by the Road Traffic Directorate Deputy Director Jacques Manong’a, the vehicle registration number ZA 9622 is a dual number with MG 881 A and belongs to the ministry.

Bisika was one of the main organisers of Wednesday’s historic work stoppage, when most of the country’s labour forces downed tools to force President Bingu wa Mutharika to address political and economic ills besetting Malawi.
He had led concerned citizens to hold street vigils.

THE ATTACK

Bisika was beaten at Ndindeya Motel in Zomba when he was among those organizing the demonstrations against the government’s poor governance in the country’s old Capital.

According to media reports, the vehicle, a Toyota was handed on request to Land Minister Yunus Mussa’s private driver Isaac on the said date by a government driver.

The local media reports that that Isaac confessed that he indeed drove some people to Ndindeya Motel, one of them being personal assistant to Mussa.

“Other than that, I never took part in what took place at Ndindeya. All I did was drive the vehicle there, park it under a tree and sit back watching,” Isaac is quoted as saying.

Zomba Police Spokesperson Thomeck Nyaude confirmed the assault, saying Bisika was attacked when he was having refreshments at Ndindeya Hotel.

Nyaude said police will “thoroughly investigate” the incident.

Billy Mayaya, spokesperson for the organisers of the protests, said the civil society have learnt with disgust about the “barbaric assault” on Bisika.

He urges that the law takes its course on the assailants without fear or favour.

This comes at a time when President Bingu wa Mutharika said he knows people who have been behind recent attacks and will deal with them.

Lands minister Mr. Yunus Mussa is a vice president in the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

This comes at a time when President Bingu wa Mutharika told vendors in Blantyre that he knows people who are behind recent attacks in the country.