By Nenenji Mlangeni
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Chiefs have rebuffed President Peter Mutharika to hold a press conference and denounce the demonstrations which the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) is organizing to force beleaguered Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson Jane Ansah to resign.
The chiefs which included senior chiefs and traditional authorities from all over the country were hired by Mutharika through Local government Minister Ben Phiri to hold a press conference at Mafumu Lodge in Lilongwe Monday but they refused.
“Journalists especially from MBC, some of whom travelled all the way from Blantyre are now removing their equipment which they set for the press conference. The chiefs have refused to hold the press conference, they said they cannot be conducting a press conference when one of them, Senior Chief Ngolongoliwa has just died,” said a source who was at the failed presser.
Lhomwe Senior Chief Ngolongoliwa died on Sunday evening at Mwaiwathu private Hospital in Blantyre and will be laid to rest on Wednesday at his Mtundawosema Headquarters in Thyolo amid military honours.
Another chief who did not want to be named said minister Ben Phiri promised them MK500,000 each after the press conference.
“Even when we told him that the timing of the press conference is wrong because of Ngolongoliwa’s death, he was still adamant he said the press conference should still go ahead. But we are not kids and that is why most of chickened out because this is all wrong,” said the chief.
Another chief who corroborated the story said they were told what to say at the press conference.
“Bwana Ben Phiri told us what we should say at the press conference. He said we should condemn HRDC for staging the demonstrations against Jane Ansah and we will get K500,000 each at the end of the press conference,” said the chief from the northern region.
Senior Chief Kaomba of Kasungu confirmed about the press conference and said they postponed it because of Ngolongoliwa’s death.
“But we will hold this press conference once we are done with the funeral of our fellow chief Ngolongoliwa. It is true that it is government that organized the press conference but we don’t see anything wrong because we serve government of the day,” said Kaomba.
President Peter Mutharika is panicking with the anti Jane Ansah demonstrations over her handling of the May 21 elections which declared him winner of the irregularities-infested elections.
UTM President and immediate Vice President Saulos Chilima and Malawi Congress party (MCP) President Lazarus Chakwera are contesting the results of the presidential pools in court which is scheduled to start hearing the case on August 8, 2019.
