BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-The country’s civil right group Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) in collaboration with the Blantyre Small Scale Business Operators (BSSBO), the Minibus Drivers and Conductors Association and the Kabanza Operators on Tuesday, January 19, 2021 gave President Lazarus Chakwera’s Tonse administration seven days ultimatum to end traits of impunity and arrogance.
This is another ultimatum CDEDI gave Chakwera’s Tonse following a 14 days ultimatum on the leadership head on November 23, 2020, to act on several issues of national concern.
The grouping cited the President’s trustworthiness and indecisiveness clearly manifested in his willy-nilly change of tune on the Tonse Alliance manifesto on the pretext of the Covid-19 pandemic and the influx of illegal immigrants from China, Nigeria, India, Lebanon, Pakistan, Rwanda, Burundi, and Somalia.
The foreign nationals are said to be illegally conducting businesses in the country and have taken up the last available economic opportunities for the locals.
Presenting the petition CDEDI Executive Director Slyvester Namiwa accused Chakwera paying a blind eye to issues they have been raising against the administration.
And also accused the Tonse led government of lacking proper strategies in the fight against Covid 19 pandemic.
The group also wants the government to find ways of dealing with land issues in districts such as Thyolo and Mulanje.
Namiwa further accuses the president of introducing stringent Covid-19 preventative measures that are heavily impacting on the poor and the marginalized due to lack of cushioning measures for the same, 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 and 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.
The demostrations were marred with low turnout of people, which Namiwa down played, urging that is was a tactical move in order to adhere to Covid 19 prevention measures.
Namiwa said since the ultimatum, there has not been any response from the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC), and neither has there been any word from the State House which is a clear case of impunity and executive arrogance which has no space in a modern-day democratic Malawi.
Following the demonstrations in Lilongwe and Blantyre, he said it is beginning of a series of national wide protests that will spill over to the cities of Zomba and Mzuzu before going into the districts until such a time when the current administration is seen to be working on the grievances that have been raised in the petition.
After receiving the petition,an administration officer at Blantyre city council Sekila Kayange said that he will make sure that the petition reached relevant authority for proper action.
Both State House and government spokesperson Brian Banda and Gospel Kazako have never responded to CDEDI concerns.
