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Twenty seven UDF operatives have written party regional governor (South) John Chikakwiya, who is also Blantyre City mayor, demanding payment for the violence they caused on April 8, 2001 in Blantyre Rural East where one person was killed.
Several other people were also injured and two cars damaged in the violence..
The man who was killed is Duncan Kanjuchi.
But UDF Secretary General Kennedy Makwangwala, to whom the letter has been copied, blamed the correspondence which is also implicating party national chairman Bakili Muluzi, national executive member Dumbo Lemani and the late regional governor (South) Davis Kapito, on government saying it is a fabrication aimed at creating a criminal case against the top leadership of the party.
The letter from the 27 men signed by their spokesman Sladden Gama and dated November 4, 2004 accuses Chikakwiya of promising them K150,000 ($1,388) each to cause the violence in the constituency during a campaign period for a by-election. It adds that the operatives were only given K15,000 after pressuring the mayor at the Civic Centre by locking him in his office.
“It was here where Honourable Lemani promised to settle the remainder of the amount. Any attempt to get our money has been futile, without any results and to have continued to use the police to harass us whenever we come to the Civic Centre,” said Gama.
He alleged that the operatives used a white Toyota Hilux from the city assembly registration number BL 1259 and that Chikakwiya told Kanjuchi’s wife that Muluzi would build a house for her which has not been done.
Gama also accuses the mayor of having using “state machinery”, to have MCP candidate Levi Mulauzi arrested for the violence.
“We want you to respond within five days or we are marching to your office in protest. We are also calling on human rights bodies to speak out on your misuse of state machinery, resources and of course organised violence,” said the letter.
But Makwangwala said the party has already been informed by its agent within government that UDF leaders who are vocal will soon be arrested.
“They are creating cases against everyone who is criticising government. They want to implicate our top officials in murder cases so that they don’t get bailed out once they are arrested,” said Makwangwala.
And Chikakwiya said he knew nothing of what Gama is talking about because at the time the violence took place he was not in active politics.
“I was a mayor and not a regional governor. I would not know what actually happened,” he said, adding that he would refer the matter to the party chairman for comment.
Lemani refused to comment on the issue saying he knows nothing of the matter.
“What the police should do is just to arrest these people who are saying they caused the violence. I know nothing of what they are talking about,” said Lemani, who was still carrying a travelling bag packed with his pyjamas, toothbrush, toothpaste, sandals, a UDF yellow T-Shirt and insecticide in readiness for his arrest.
Lemani said last week he had been tipped of a warrant of arrest which the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has issued against him.
DPP Ishmael Wadi could not be reached to comment on the matters as he was not answering his cellular phone.
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