LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) and the Lilongwe Small Scale Businesses Operators are upbeat for Friday, December 18, 2020′ demonstration against Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera Tonse administration’s impunity, arrogance
The groupings have emphasized for peaceful demonstrations that concerns be presented to the country’s leadership.
Addressing news conference on Thursday, December 17, 2020 the groupings leadership hinted that if it happens that concerns will not be worked on, vigils is the next move to take.
CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa reminded the authorities of citizens’ right to demonstrate that any hindrance towards the exercise, will be accountable.
The Lilongwe City Council on Tuesday, December 15, 2020 granted CDEDI and The Lilongwe Small Scale Business Operators permission to hold the peaceful demonstrations starting from Lilongwe Community ground passing through Mchesi to Kamuzu Central Hospital Roundabout then present a petition to the Lilongwe City Council Chief Executive Officer at Lilongwe Civic Office.
The demonstration comes after President Lazarus Chakwera failed to respond concerns including leadership impunity and executive arrogant.
CDEDI and the Lilongwe Small Scale Business Operators will lead all well- meaning Malawians in exercising their democratic right to conduct peaceful demonstrations to demand answers and explanations from President Chakwera and his administration on the following:
1. The influx of illegal immigrants from China, Nigeria, India, Lebanon, Pakistan, Rwanda, Burundi, and Somalia who are illegally conducting businesses in the country and have taken up the last available economic opportunities for the locals;
2. President Chakwera’s refusal to withdraw and apologise to the nation for
using the word ‘NYANSI’ in reference to people his government is
arresting, firing or suspending from the public service;
3. The shambolic Affordable Input Program (AIP) which is taking away the dignity of the poor people, especially women who are sleeping at the selling depots and are being exposed to all sorts of sexual abuses;
4. The failure by the Tonse Alliance government to address acute shortages
of food across the country, which have hit hard the poor and the marginalized people;
5. Government’s selective application of justice by arresting people from one
region and tribe, while sparing corrupt public officials from the Tonse Alliance partners, such as a Cabinet Minister, his advisor and other alliance partners involved in the National Oil Company of Malawi (NOCMA) fuel supply scandal;
6. Failure by President Chakwera to update Malawians on the Hotel bills saga at Crossroads involving his Chief of Staff and the Director of Finance at State House;
7. President Chakwera’s failure to honour his promise to produce an
expenditure report on the Independence Celebrations that were cancelled at the eleventh hour;
8. The inhumane enforcement of tax and other regulations on Motorbike
Kabanza operators;
9. The doubling of MPs’ and Ward Councilors’ perks when the rest of the civil servants have been given an average 10 percent hike;
10.Total disregard of the rule of law by Dr. Chakwera and the Secretary to the President Cabinet, for acting contrary to the Attorney General’s legal opinion to give Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Commissioners Jean Mathanga and Linda Kunje their appointment letters, and by accepting the firing of public officers with legal contracts;
11.Ignoring the voices of the landless people in Thyolo and Mulanje districts, whose land was grabbed by the white settlers from Britain;
12.The abandonment of the Tonse Alliance flagship campaign promises that were contained in the alliance partners’ consolidated manifesto;
Lastly, but not the least, CDEDI would like to remind President Chakwera that political and legal powers accorded to him under section 12 of the Republican Constitution derive from the people of Malawi, and the one exercising such powers does so on sustained trust.
It is, therefore, our expectation that the President will act on these issues in earnest, and as his obligation to serve Malawians, without necessarily waiting for the citizenry to go onto the streets to demand their rights.
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