A vehicle in the convoy carrying the body of late Malawi Vice-President Saulos Chilima struck and killed four mourners, including a pregnant woman, and injured twelve others, on Sunday night.
The incident occurred after clashes between local people, police, and soldiers escorting the funeral convoy from Lilongwe to Chilima’s home village for burial.
The clashes began when mourners demanded the procession stop to view the coffin, leading to tension along the route.
“In Dedza, people blocked the road and demanded to see the coffin,” Felix Njawala, spokesman for Mr Chilima’s UTM party told the AFP news agency.
However, in the commotion, one vehicle went off the road, hitting a group of mourners and killing four of them.
Chilima’s UTM party has condemned the violence and urged supporters to refrain from destruction.
“We cannot tolerate violence, Dr Chilima advocated for peace, let us do the same,” state broadcaster MBC quoted UTM secretary general Patricia Kaliati as saying.
President Lazarus Chakwera has promised a full investigation into the plane crash that killed Chilima and eight others last Monday.
Chilima’s burial is scheduled to take place in his home district of Ntcheu, with tightened security measures in place.
Thousands of Malawians turned up to pay their respects to the late vice-president, who was considered a breath of fresh air in Malawian politics.