President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika has ordered Malawi Defence Force and Malawi Police Service to stop the planned airports and border districts shutdown set for next week, using what he described as ‘necessary force’.

Mutharika said this in Mangochi during the official commissioning of the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) warships.

“Am directing thw MDF and the Malawi Police Service to protect our borders and airports with any necessary force.

“Am directing the army and the police to stop those demonstrations. If HRDC, MCP and the UTM decide to continue with the demonstrations they shouldn’t say they were not warned,” said the visibly angry Mutharika.

Reacting to Mutharika’s decree, one of the Human Right Activists Billy Mayaya has trashed the directive.

“The President cannot make a decree banning demonstrations,” wrote Mayaya on his official facebook page.

More details to follow…