Article By: Lloyd M’bwana
Malawian youth in the northern city of Mzuzu on Monday, February 22 through mass demonstration petitioned President Peter Mutharika to fix the country’s economic woes within 21 days or he must resign from presidency to pave of for capable individuals to run the shows of the state.
The youths demonstration comes barely a few days after the Public Affairs Committee (PAC)’s inclusive conference in one resolutions called for President Mutharika 30 days to put the country’s economy on truck failure to do that must resign honorably.
The call for the incumbent President Mutharika resignation has not received with a good eye from chiefs, cabinet members and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) loyalist arguing that the president could not succumb to pressure for resignation saying he adopted the already incapacitated economy from the past regime of Joyce Banda.
Under heavy police escort, the youth staged the demonstration demanding the DPP led government to come up with drastic measures to save the food shortage and economic crisis clipping the nation.
Speaking before handing over the petition to the chief executive officer for Mzuzu City Assembly, Andrew Longwe, demonstration’s secretary hinted that the marchers were fade up with government failure to fix the economy saying the development has resulted into jobless.
The youth’s petition paper titled, “The worsening economy hardships, food shortage and the suffering of Malawians”, gave government an ultimatum of 21 days to act and seven days to respond in writing the demands carried in the petition.
“Demonstrations are going to increase in all parts of the country and with greater intensity, until Mutharika takes action to address our concerns. We want our leaders to take the country out of its economic crisis or else they should resign and allow competent people to take over.
“This is the beginning of bigger demos to come. The police and security should not treat us with heavy handedness because we are hungry and angry”, says Longwe when presenting the petition to Mzuzu CEO Macloud Kadamanja.
However, government spokesperson, Jappie Mhango is quoted in some Media as saying the demonstration would not affect strategies government has put in place to make food available everywhere in the country and arguing that the deadlines on such matters were not important because there is already food in Admarc.
Pressure is daily mounting on President Peter Mutharika to fix the social-economic ills currently Malawians encountering which include maize crisis, insufficient of medical and drugs in public hospitals, high inflation and falling of the Malawi Kwacha which has resulted into skyrocketing prices of goods and services.
