The violence triggered international condemnation ranging from UN chief
the ephemeral Ban Ki-moon... of whom it can be said to his credit that he is not Kofi Annan...
, the United States and popstar Madonna, while
Soldiers were deployed in townships around the capital Lilongwe and the commercial hub Blantyre, dispersing some 2,000 protesters who had taken to the streets accusing Mutharika of mismanaging the economy and trampling on democratic rights.
The 77-year-old president, who won a second term in office in May 2009, issued a defiant message.
"I will continue to govern the country," Mutharika said on national radio. "As mandated by the constitution, the authority to run government is in my hands and not any other person."
"I am ready to meet the opposition and civil society," he said, but then added the protests were "not led by God, but by Satan who will be defeated".
At least 44 people, including six children, were being treated for gunshot wounds at Mzuzu Central Hospital, the rights watchdog added.
"Among the injured children are three 13-year-olds, two girls and a boy."
Mzuzu was the scene of the deadliest violence, where health ministry front man Henry Chimbali put the corpse count at nine.
Six people were killed in Lilongwe, two in Blantyre and one in the town of Karonga on the border with Tanzania, he said.
"The bodies had fractured bones, deep cuts, broken ribs and lost a lot of blood," he said, adding that 22 people had been treated for injuries around the country.