MOAM General Secretary Coaxley Kamange and Blantyre vendors’ chairperson Frank Malunga, said at a press conference in Blantyre, that they did not sanction the violence and have since urged the police to deal with the perpetrators.

The Blantyre Community Policing also attended the press conference, which was convened at Blantyre City Council premises.

“Violence is reserved only for those who cannot competently argue their case. Violence doesn’t solve a misunderstanding and we are strongly condemning those behind it,” said Kamange.

Taking his turn, Malunga queried the connection between protesting of police by-laws and the burning of tyres in the streets.

“Withdrawing their services from the roads was enough and effective protest, but now they have angered even those they could have supported their protest by subjecting innocent people to unnecessary tension and they have subsequently lost all the remaining chances to argue  their case on the roundtable,” said Malunga.

On Friday, police in some townships of Blantyre, notably Machinjiri and Ndirande engaged in running battles with some minibus operators over tough stance by traffic police in the wake of increasing road accidents.