Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Dr. Lazarus Chakwera has described the torching of the party’s regional offices in Blantyre as an act of intimidation in the ongoing court case where the party is disputing the outcome of the May 21 polls.

Chakwera said this during a media briefing held at the Party’s headquarters in the capital Lilongwe and the briefing was attended by several MCP top officials.

He said the act would not stop Malawians from showing their displeasure over the way the May 21 elections were conducted.

“This was clearly a cowardly act perpetrated by mercenaries who lack both the intelligence to reason and the integrity to face us. We have since reported the matter to the Malawi Police Service, even as our own investigation is in progress to identify both the perpetrators of this crime and the interests they serve.

“In the meantime, allow me to convey a message to the senseless barbarians who have done this: Malawi is a peaceful country with a peace-loving people, and if your hope in this attack is to destabilize the country, you have failed,” said Chakwera.

He added: “Malawians are sick and tired of the thieving DPP government which has robbed them of their birthright and has lost all legitimacy to govern, and if your hope in this attack is to dim the ray of hope that the people see in MCP for their deliverance, you have failed.”

Chakwera said the matter has been reported to the police and as a party they are also doing their own investigations to find the perpetrators.

On his part MCP Secretary General Eisenhower Mkaka accused the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of being behind the torching of MCP regional office.

Effort to talk to DPP spokesperson Nicholas Dausi proved futile.