BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)—Malawi Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima called upon the government officials to respect the rule of law when enforcing some measures aimed at containing the novel coronavirus which has already claimed lives of thousands of people across the world.
Chilima made the remarks on Sunday night during televised nation address on the national situation and response to covid-19.
Chilima pointed out that there are suggestions from some that there is no need to follow the constitution in responding to the covid-19 emergency.
“This is dangerous and deceitful suggestion that ought to be firmly rejected. The constitution is not only our guiding light but it also protects us all from the worst impulses of those who exercise power.
“There is no greater need to guard against the abuse of power than in times of emergencies primarily because autocrats usually use emergencies to allocate to themselves powers that they do not respect rule of law or, indeed, to settle political scores. We should all be on guard so as not to allow the covid-19 pandemic to be used as an excuse to violate the constitution and the rights of our people,” Chilima said.
Chilima further condemned attacks by government on judiciary arguing the judges do what the constitution require them to do.
“To this end let me categorically reject the shameful position taken by government in making gratuitous attacks on our Judges for merely doing what the constitution and their oath of office require them to do: that is interpret law of the land .
“If the Judges say this or that decision or regulation , important as it may be in reducing the spread of the virus, has not been done according to what the constitution of the Public Health Act of the Public Finance Management Act says, the Executive cannot start calling the judges names or, indeed, make childish statements that they shall leave the management of the crisis to the Judiciary. Si nthawi yonyanyala ntchito,” he added.
On lockdown, Chilima said restricting Malawians to their homes for three weeks without giving them food is condemning them to death by hunger.
Chilima noted that the majority of Malawians in urban areas live in modest housing where they do not even access to running water in their homes and must access their water either at kiosks or boreholes – which may be some distance from their homes.
He also reminded government that these people do not access to electricity hence cannot stock up food in refrigerators; and they have to go to the market on almost a daily basis to get their food.
“In fact, they go out every day to earn only enough to buy food for that particular day. They live hand-to-mouth. Shameful levels of poverty mean that most of these people do not have any savings at all,” he said.
Chilima also noted that there are similar conditions in the villages. He then asked government to design a lockdown that should recognize the poverty levels the majority of Malawians.
“It is clear that the lockdown that was announced by the government had not been well thought through and had clearly been rushed. We cannot avert thousands of deaths due to coronavirus and yet cause millions of death due to hunger, malnutrition and depression,” said Chilima.
Chilima, a leader of UTM party, is in alliance with Malawi Congress Party (MCP).
Currently, it is not known who will be the torchbearer of the alliance though Chakwera seems to have high chances to lead the alliance considering the popularity of the MCP.
