Blantyre, Sept 21 (AFP) Police in Malawi were out in full force today patrolling half-empty streets in main cities where banks and shops were shuttered at the start of a three-day anti-government strike. We are providing top security and the situation is calm in Blantyre, regional police spokesman Davie Chingwalu told AFP. Most police officers, the majority unarmed, were moving in groups of three to four along near-deserted streets in the commercial capital where the bulk of shops, many owned by Chinese and Indian nationals, as well as banks were closed. Most workers had stayed home fearing violence, said Chingwalu. The national strike was called by civil society groups after safety fears prompted them to abandon vigils as police and local authorities did not issue the necessary permits despite a court order in their favour. Supporters of President Bingu wa Mutharika had asked the High Court to block the vigils, citing safety concerns after anti-government protests degenerated into nationwide rioting that left 19 dead in July. Security was also tight in the administrative capital Lilongwe, said regional police spokesman John Namalenga. All is well here and people are moving freely because police officers are over the city providing security where people are likely to loot and burn shops. He said shops and banks had not opened, obviously fearing violence. Similar scenes were reported in the small northern city of Mzuzu where shops and banks had not opened but people were moving freely. It's a normal day here apart from the empty streets and the banks and shops not opening, police spokesman Edward Longwe said.
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