The Maravi Post

 UPDATED

LILONGWE—Led by their president Elijah Kamphinda Banda, Malawi civil servants on Wednesday defied police order to stop them from demonstrating and went ahead to deliver their petition at Malawi’s Capital hill in Lilongwe. The civil servants are demanding a pay raise as life is increasingly becoming unbearable due to the devaluation and the subsequent floatation of the local currency as championed by the Joyce Banda administration.

MaraPost understands that police decided against taking action after learning that Lilongwe vendors had threatened to join the strikers. In July 2011, as anti-government protests got out of control, police opened fire, killing some of the protestors.

The march started at Kamuzu Central Hospital round about. MaraPost can reveal also that health workers at the hospital abandoned patients and participated in the march. At Kamuzu International Airport, workers also left their work leaving passengers stranded.

In Blantyre, Zodiak and Capital FM radios reported that hundreds of frustrated pupils at Zingwangwa and Chimwankhunda primary schools rushed to Joyce Banda Foundation private schools where they disrupted classes. The children wanted to know why learning was going on while there were no classes at public schools due to strikes by public workers.

In Mzuzu, marching was done peacefully and just like in Lilongwe, they have also delivered their petition to relevant authorities.

---

(c) The Maravi Post 2013

Add attachment