Malawi protests turn violent after disputed election

Police and protesters on Thursday clashed in three cities in Malawi during countrywide demonstrations over the disputed result of last month’s presidential election.

Thousands of opposition supporters participated in the demonstrations in the capital, Lilongwe, demanding the immediate resignation of Malawi Electoral Co mmission chairperson Jane Ansah.

Some police officers were severely injured after being beaten up minutes after an armoured vehicle threatened the protesters at Capital Hill.

Police said shops had been ransacked and two police officers injured by protesters throwing rocks in Lilongwe.

In Blantyre, marchers were stopped by police using tear gas as they approached the commission’s headquarters, according to AFP reporters.

In Lilongwe, protestors included opposition leaders Lazarus Chakwera of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and Saulos Chilima of the United Transformation Movement (UTM).

Opposition Leads Thousands In Post-Election Protest in Malawi https://t.co/YLVOZuj91I #Malawi pic.twitter.com/M72h0UIeSb

— allAfrica.com (@allafrica) June 20, 2019

On Wednesday, protesters blocked the main route into Lilongwe as Mutharika was due to arrive from Blantyre, forcing him to use another road.