Malawi learners on street tear-gassed by police: Protesting against govt on nationwide teachers’ strike

Malawi Police have fired tear gas at  hundreds of learners from some public primary schools in Blantyre on Monday took to the streets, asking authorities to address their teachers’ grievances so that they can resume learning. The learners blocked the M1 at near Mbayani market causing traffic jam along the road. Some even went further by pelting stones at road users, mostly vehicles.

They were expressing their anger of teachers’ strike which started last week.

Clad in various school uniforms, the learners from HHI, Blantyre Girls, Ndirande-Kachere, Nyambadwe and Namiwawa primary schools put business to a standstill as they chanted in unison: “Tikhonza bwanji! Sitikuphunzira!! [How are we going to pass examinations when we are not learning! ].

The learners, aged between eight and 14, sang songs demeaning the Democratic Progressive Party  administration while demanding that they immediately go back to school where teachers had abandoned chalk unless government pays everyone their leave grants.

Police fired teargas at the learners, saying  the protests were unlawful because no prior permission had been granted.

There were no reports of serious injuries.

Opposition members in Parliament (MPs) took government to task over the issue, saying delaying the process of payment will affect most learners, some of whom are set to write their Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) examinations starting this month end.

Making his comment on the proposed 2017/18 National Budget on Friday, MP for Dowa East Richard Chimwendo-Banda (Malawi Congress Party-MCP) asked government to explain what had been done to resolve the strike.

He described the situation as pathetic and cautioned government that it is sitting on a time bomb as people are tired with what is happening.

Green Muheya -Nyasa

Credit: Green Muheya -Nyasa

Green Muheya -Nyasa

Green Muheya -Nyasa

Truck carrying cement crashes, killing four: Mutharika saddened with horrific accidents

The Chirimba-Magalasi accident occured barely a day after a speedig bus, belonging to Future Tours, killed 10 passengers on spot and injured dozen others at Rivirivi, Manjawira in Ntcheu Saturday afternoon.

According to Blantyre Police spokesperson Elizabeth Divala, the truck’s brakes malfunctioned in the process sweeping seven vehicles including four minibuses.

“The driver of the truck identified as Stephano Mikeli, 30, of Kapesi Village, Traditional Authority [T/A] Kachere in dedza, who works at Almeda Transport in Lilongwe, hit other vehicles due to over speeding.

“Four people in three different vehicles died on the spot, including our fellow officer Smartson Mkandawire who was with his friends in a Toyota Carina registration NS2161,” she said.

The Police  indicated that the death toll may rise since more victims are in critical conditions at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital where they have been rushed to.

Reports also indicate that people, who rushed to the scene, instead of rescuing the victims, scrambled for the bags of cement at the expense of the victims’ lives.

In Lilongwe, four people, including a minibus driver died on arrival at Mitundu Community Rural Hospital after the vehicles they were traveling in equally involved in a road accident at Chiseka Quarry along Mitundu road the district.

Credit: Yankho Msukwa

Yankho Msukwa

The Chirimba-Magalasi accident occured barely a day after a speedig bus, belonging to Future Tours, killed 10 passengers on spot and injured dozen others at Rivirivi, Manjawira in Ntcheu Saturday afternoon.
According to Blantyre Police spokesperson Elizabeth Divala, the truck’s brakes malfunctioned in the process sweeping seven vehicles including four minibuses.
“The driver of the truck identified as Stephano Mikeli, 30, of Kapesi Village, Traditional Authority [T/A] Kachere in dedza, who works at Almeda Transport in Lilongwe, hit other vehicles due to over speeding.
“Four people in three different vehicles died on the spot, including our fellow officer Smartson Mkandawire who was with his friends in a Toyota Carina registration NS2161,” she said.
The Police  indicated that the death toll may rise since more victims are in critical conditions at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital where they have been rushed to.
Reports also indicate that people, who rushed to the scene, instead of rescuing the victims, scrambled for the bags of cement at the expense of the victims’ lives.
In Lilongwe, four people, including a minibus driver died on arrival at Mitundu Community Rural Hospital after the vehicles they were traveling in equally involved in a road accident at Chiseka Quarry along Mitundu road the district.
- See more at: https://www.nyasatimes.com/truck-carrying-cement-crashes-killing-four-mutharika-saddened-horrific-accidents-orders-govt-assist-victims/#sthash.5nZilmZJ.dpuf

Villagers protest water shortage

Residents of Talav village in the district disrupted vehicular traffic on the Jhajjar-Dadri road for over an hour today in protest against shortage of potable water. They cleared the road only after public health officials assured them of restoring water supply soon. 
“We have been facing hardships as potable water is not being supplied in the village for the past one month. Consequently, women have to go to distant places daily to fetch water while many villagers are compelled to buy water at high rates to meet their daily requirement,” said one of the protesters. The protesters said they blocked the road to attract the attention of the higher authorities towards their plight, as no official paid heed to their complaints filed with the Public Health Department. 

Credit: TNS