LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The country’s civil rights group Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) plans to hold peaceful demonstrations on persistent fuel scarcity and voters registrations exercise.
CDEDI wants to hold demonstrations Thursday, November 21, 2024 in the capital Lilongwe.
Writing Lilongwe District Commissioner Dr Lawford Palani, CDEDI wants to force the Minister of Energy Holl Ibrahim Matola and Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) Chief Executive Officer(CEO) Mr Henry Kachaje to step down, for orchestrating the longest ever fuel crisis that has now entered into a fifth week.
“Secondly, we demand that the Malawi Electoral Commission(MEC) should suspend the ongoing voter registration exercise until Smartmatic leave the country”, reads CDEDI statement in part signed its Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa.
Namiwa adds, “The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI), in collaboration with like-minded civil society organisations and patriotic Malawians, would like to notify your office of our intention to hold peaceful demonstrations”.
CDEDI statement adds, “Needless to emphasise that the unprecedented fuel crisis is now threatening the survival of millions Malawians in general, and has also taken a toll on the local manufacturing industry, resulting into low-revenue collection on the part of the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) and soon this is likely to translate into massive job losses.
“This crisis has also hugely impacted on the health sector, as the nation has lost productive citizens.
In view of the aforementioned, CDEDI feels “duty bound to lead Malawians to champion electoral transparency and credibility at the same time to say no to mediocre, impunity and arrogance and that is associated with President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera’s regime, clearly mirrored through the business as usual approach to the fuel, Forex and Fertiliser crises, that are tormenting Malawians that also double as voters and taxpayers”.
Namiwa observes further, “Furthermore, you may wish to know that prospective voters are being denied a constitutional right to register to vote in the forthcoming elections due to among many other things, the shambolic conduct of the National Registration Bureau(NRB) on top of the mistrust the citizenry have over MEC decision to engage Smartmatic a firm that is under investigation for bribery in Philippines.
“This strongly suggest that the firm’s credibility and ethical standing are questionable”.
According to Namiwa, the peaceful demonstrations will be held on Thursday, November 21, 2024, from 09:30hrs, starting from the Lilongwe Community Ground via Mchesi passing through Kamuzu Central Hospital, all the way to Capital Hill main entrance, marking the commencement of vigils until the demands are met.
“It is important to remind you sir, that holding peaceful demonstrations is a constitutional right, hence this letter seeks to notify your office for proper planning, and not seeking permission,” concludes Namiwa.
Malawi is in second month grappling with fuel crisis.
