The police in Mchinji have arrested two people in connection four houses that have been set a blaze during a contention between Kalulu villagers and 650 families from Kasungu who invaded an estate close to the village scrambling for settlement and cultivation land.
It is in police record that Malawians from various places across the country who were working with Press Agriculture in Kasungu, early this year relocated and secured themselves land at Estate 69 in Mchinji.
Investigations have also that land disputes between the two sides erupted as villagers from Kalulu, Chivala and other surrounding villages are not happy with the development as some families have already occupied their lands leaving them with nowhere to cultivate.
On August 21 2018 around 08:00 hours, James Chisale (38) of village Masaka, traditional authority Liwonde in Machinga who is also among the 650 families alerted the police about the situation which was out of hand between the two sides after his and three other grass thatched houses were grazed down by fire which they alleged their counterparts had knowledge.
Following the report, the police rushed to the scene and managed to contain the situation while two suspects Edward Saulosi (42) and Verenasi Mankhwala (22) both from Chavala village, T/A Kapondo in Mchinji were picked for questioning and answer cases of Arson.
According Chisale, nobody has been injured but Properties over K300,000.00 are feared to have been damaged by the fire.
Meanwhile the police through Mchinji Station has condemned in strongest terms against the use of violence as a tool in solving personal differences.
Source : INSPECTOR KAITANO LUBRINO (PRO)
