LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) has reiterated that demonstrations will continue until Jane Ansah steps down as Chairperson for Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC).
HRDC Chairperson, Timothy Mtambo was speaking today in Lilongwe during demonstrations the organisation has planned to conduct from today, 1st to 4th of October.
Mtambo said in spite of the Government’s efforts to frustrate the demos through the use of police to teargas demostrators, they will not stop until Ansah resigns.
“Malawians have got persistence that does not recognise failure, but we are disappointed with the police; we are disappointed with the Government because yesterday we had a meeting and they promised us that we would walk together.”
“But the police started teargasing people without any reason. So, we know now that the police are there to destroy and fight Malawians; but we want to warn them that if they think leadership is fighting people; then they are in a wrong country. In a democracy leaders are only strong when they have people behind them.”
“So, this is why we have been saying that Mwapasa, the acting Inspector General (IG) of police has failed Malawians. There can never be indicators beyond this. He is a cadet; we thought that after beating and injuring people in Blantyre, after suffocating patients in Blantyre; after killing a small child in Blantyre; after killing our brother in Mzuzu; after injuring our brother in Rumphi; after doing all these nasty things, we thought today they would think about Malawians and think twice. But it’s clear they don’t want to cooperate with Malawians.”
” Now our message is: the international community cannot afford to continue keeping quiet when a leader goes to United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and lie before the world; accusing people who are peaceful. Because when Arthur Peter Mutharika was speaking at UNGA he was tormenting Malawians with lies,” Mtambo said.
Today’s demonstrations would virtually be halted had the Supreme Court Judge, Lovemore Chikopa not restrained Attorney General, Kalekeni Kaphale from obtaining an injunction yesterday against the same.
HRDC is incessantly conducting demonstrations in the country to force MEC Chairperson, Dr Jane Ansah, to resign from her position for allegedly maladministration of May 21 tripartite elections.