Police called to control hungry crowd at Nsanje Admarc market

Malawi - Two heavily armed police officers from Chiromo Police in Nsanje were called to Bangula Admarc Market in order to restore peace and control the hungry crowd that wanted to purchase maize on Monday morning from the market, writes Cornelius Lupenga.

Frank Dimingu from Tambo village said he arrived in the wee hours of Monday in order to be at the front of the line but found scores of people who had spent the night at the market.

Dimingu said, "Two armed police came to restore peace, but it was on and off as the hungry crowd was still causing havoc in order to be on the line."

Concurring with Dimingu, Rejoice Kabola said the Admarc personnel were too slow in assisting the crowd, which led to scrambling on the clerk's desk.

"On two to three occasions, the purchasing processes were stopped by the police to put the hungry crowd in order," she said.

Kabola also blamed some party members who were put to the buyers and were partisan to members of their party because of their political affiliation in the buying of the grain.

According to Kabola, some buyers exchanged fists in the process of chasing a place on the line.

Following the recent incident at the Bangula Admarc market, the Public Relations Officer for Admarc, Agnes Chikoko, has stated that she was not aware of the situation.

However, she emphasized that it is normal to call for the police to institute peace so that people can buy commodities peacefully.

Admarc market in the district has been flooded with grain, which has been scarce in the district and other parts of the country.