LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The UTM Party leader and former Vice President Dr. Saulos Chilima on Tuesday chides Inspector General of Malawi Police Service (MPS) Rodney Jose for banning protesters aimed at forcing Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson Dr. Jane Ansah to resign.
Chilima says the communication banning the exercise of the fundamental rights and freedoms enshrined under the country’s Constitution is, therefore, a curious turn of events and certainly a path to aggravation of an already sententious and tense status quo.
The UTM leader wondered as to why such sentiments comes from those who are supposed to be the prime defenders of our liberties, the Constitution and the rule of law.
In a press statement made available to The Maravi Post, Chilima observed that police sentiments to ban demonstration is a blatant disregard of the masses’ expression of their loss of trust in the Electoral Commission Chairperson, “while affording the embattled Dr. Mrs. Jane Ansah SC, Justice of Appeal, the impetus to remain Chairperson of the Electoral Commission in the face of a clear public loss of the trust reposed in her”.
He is responding to Monday’s press conference in which the police Chief Jose alongside Malawi Defence Force (MDF) Commander Nundwe strained warning to anti-Ansah demos.
Chilima is therefore in full support of the peaceful protests until MEC Chairperson resigns for May 21 electoral fraud.
The demonstrations are being championed by Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC).
Below is the full Chilima’s statement:
IN SUPPORT OF THE RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS OF OPINION, EXPRESSION, AND PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY AND DEMONSTRATION
Dear Fellow Malawians,
I followed with curiosity the joint press briefing by the Malawi Police Service and the Malawi Defence Force held yesterday, Monday, 29th July, 2019.
During the briefing, there were subtle suggestions of the suspension of the people’s enjoyment of the right to freedom of opinion; the right to freedom of expression; and right to assemble and demonstrate with others freely peacefully and unarmed.
During the press briefing, it was particularly demanded that those who have been expressing their displeasure with a system that is largely built and operated on fraud and dishonesty, of which the masses consider Madam Dr. Jane Ansah SC, Justice of Appeal, as its epitome from the manner she handled the 21st May, 2019 tripartite elections, should stop their protestations..
This country has the privilege of having a Defence Force that has stood for the people, for the constitutional foundation of this country and for the rule of law at critical junctures in our history.
The gratitude that we, the people of this country, have for our beloved Defence Force cannot be fully captured in words.
In the on-going mass demonstrations, the Malawi Defence Force has shown remarkable professionalism, discipline and ability to contain elements of violence deployed by the dark forces that seek to tarnish the mass expression of disapproval of the usurped system that our country is currently being run on.
The communication banning the exercise of the fundamental rights and freedoms enshrined under the country’s Constitution is, therefore, a curious turn of events and certainly a path to aggravation of an already sententious and tense status quo.
Ironically, coming from those who are supposed to be the prime defenders of our liberties, the Constitution and the rule of law, this is a blatant disregard of the masses’ expression of their loss of trust in the Electoral Commission Chairperson, while affording the embattled Dr. Mrs. Jane Ansah SC, Justice of Appeal, the impetus to remain Chairperson of the Electoral Commission in the face of a clear public loss of the trust reposed in her.
The people of Malawi have spoken: Dr. Mrs Ansah must go. No State institution must be used to muzzle a very clear and unequivocal call of the people of this country.
I would like to categorically state that the right of the people to freely express themselves, and to peacefully assemble and demonstrate is indispensable with regard to the proper functioning of a liberal democratic constitutional order.
Courts, both here at home and beyond, have confirmed as much.
Rights and freedoms must be vigorously defended and protected even if some sections of society do not agree with the views expressed by those enjoying them.
Plurality of views and political persuasions, after all, is what sits at the heart of our liberal democratic constitutional order.
That said, I have absolutely no doubt that whenever the people set out to exercise their fundamental rights and freedoms to peacefully assemble and demonstrate, the Malawi Police Service and the Malawi Defence Force, as may be necessary, shall use their best lawful endeavours to fulfil their duty to ensure security of life and property while dutifully allowing the masses to exercise their rights without undue inhibition.
Lest others be in doubt, acts of thuggery and criminality that some have sought to perpetrate contemporaneously with the demonstrations do not enjoy the constitutional guarantees of free speech and assembly and are deserving of unreserved condemnation.
Those who are engaging in these acts should not be dealt with as demonstrators but as people suspected of criminal wrongdoing.
For my part, I whole heartedly support and encourage the people of Malawi to exercise their rights without fear, including the exercise of their right to assemble and demonstrate peacefully and unarmed as we all demand an end to electoral fraud and the resignation of Dr. Mrs. Ansah who has completely lost the people’s trust.
This is Malawi, our only home, a home we will bequeath to our children, and let us seize every opportunity to make it right, so that posterity and generations to come will judge us favourably.
I thank you. May God bless Our Mother, Mother Malawi.
Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima President UTM
Tuesday, 30th July 2019.