LILONGWE, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- At least one police officer died in a clash with rioting residents Tuesday in the outskirts of the capital, Lilongwe, in Malawi's post election unrest, authorities confirmed to the local media.
The incident occurred at at Nsundwe trading centre, nearly 40km to the west of the capital, Lilongwe, when Malawi police clashed with irate residents who had blocked the main road to bar vehicles from getting to the capital where President Mutharika was holding a development rally.
Eyewitnesses told the local media that the residents had blocked the road to stop ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) supporters from attending Mutharika's development rally.
"The police came in to intervene and they fired tear gas at the irate residents but the fight got ugly forcing the police to retreat but this other officer failed to make it to safety and he was stoned severely," an eyewitness told Xinhua.
According to the source, it took the Malawi Defence Force's intervention to contain the situation at the trading centre.
Malawi Police spokesperson James Kadadzera confirmed the death of the officer to Xinhua Tuesday evening.
"One police officer has, indeed been killed and his name is Superintendent Usumani Imedi," said Kadadzera, adding; "He was working at C Division in Lilongwe."
Since June, there has been a series of violent protests in the cities and towns of Malawi aimed at forcing the country's electoral commission chief, Jane Ansah, out of office on allegations that she mismanaged the May 21 presidential election results to favour President Mutharika.
The country's human rights activists are leading the protests while, on the other hand, the country's opposition is contesting Mutharika's victory in court seeking nullification of the May 21 election results and that a rerun should be instituted.
