Maravi

Kasama youths pelt Dora

Kasama youths pelt Dora
By Darious Kapembwa in Kasama
Tue 10 May 2011, 04:01 CAT

DORA Siliya on Sunday prematurely ended her meeting at Kasama’s Chambeshi market
after irate youths pelted her, demanding that she leave the place immediately.

Siliya, who has been meeting teachers in various schools in Northern Province,
was scheduled to hold a meeting at the market but failed due to insecurity posed
by the irate residents.

When word went round that Siliya was expected to hold a meeting at 15:00 hours,
several youths gathered and vowed to punish whoever would convene a meeting in
the market which they claimed had been neglected for 20 years.

The youths said the market was only rehabilitated after Patriotic Front’s Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba was elected Kasama Central parliamentarian.

Before Siliya’s arrival, there was panic among MMD provincial leaders who were the first to arrive to assess the situation.

A handful of women gathered, accompanied by four paramilitary and two plaincloths officers, and started singing.

This incensed more onlookers and the first stones rained, prompting a senior police officer at the scene to call for reinforcement.

Some women who gathered to welcome Siliya pleaded with the youths to stop the violence and allow them to get the “K50 million” they were promised.

However, the youths said they did not need what they described as dirty money, saying Siliya should instead compensate Zamtel workers.

They said Siliya should tell President Rupiah Banda that Kasama was a PF stronghold.

As Siliya arrived at the venue of the meeting, the youths who camped at Makungo bus station drew closer and started throwing stones amidst shouts of “this market is being constructed by GBM” and “you failed in 20 years. What you are doing is like sneaking into someone’s matrimonial home in the absence of the husband. This meeting won’t go on.”

Siliya failed to brave the hostile environment as stones continued to hit the market’s roof with police officers seemingly confused on the direction in which they were coming from.

Siliya tried to condemn the youths in her address but the confusion continued, forcing the crowd to flee.

She subsequently dashed to her vehicle and was hastily driven off. Later in an interview, Siliya claimed that her mission had been fulfilled because “a lot of people had gone to listen to her message”.

“What are you talking about? That intimidation by a few paid youths?” Siliya asked. “It did not work. The people that came to attend our meeting were too many compared to those unruly boys. What is important is that we have seen that the ground here is very fertile for the MMD but people should know that no one, not even you journalists at The Post, benefit from violence.”

When reminded that the meeting ended prematurely, Siliya said: “No, the meeting
is not supposed to last the whole day. What is important is that our message was
delivered.”

Labels: DORA SILIYA, KASAMA, MMD

posted by MrK @ 2:53 PM