20120321
AFP
Police in Malawi on Tuesday arrested an opposition lawmaker who is the son of ex-president Bakili Muluzi, after his supporters torched a police station over the weekend, a party spokesman said.
Atupele Muluzi, 34, was arrested in the capital Lilongwe and was being held at Lumbadzi police station, said Ken Ndanga, a spokesman of the United Democratic Front.
Muluzi's arrest is linked to a violent weekend rally in the city, which police say he had no permission to hold.
Muluzi was expected to address the crowd when police fired teargas to disperse the gathering, resulting in violent running battles.
A police station was burnt down in the mayhem, allowing several prisoners to escape, and a rifle was stolen, according to police.
Muluzi, who is planning to stand for the 2014 presidential election, has accused police of "provoking the situation" by firing teargas at his supporters.
His rallies have drawn large crowds since he announced his plan to unseat President Bungu wa Mutharika.
Mutharika's second term in office has seen growing discontent with his rule, with critics accusing him of trampling on democratic freedoms and mismanaging the economy.
Political tensions erupted into rioting in July, when police shot 19 people dead.
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