Abida Mia promoted into full ministry of Water and Sanitation
By Vincent Gunde
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-President Lazarus Chakwera has been lauded for for appointing more women into his cabinet saying this is complying with section 11[1] of the Gender Equality Act.
Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has therefore welcomed the appointment of the new cabinet of 12 women and 18 men, 40 percent women and 60 percent men.
Chakwera has promoted Abida Mia into full ministry of Water and Sanitation.
In its statement signed by the Commission’s chairperson Scader Louis, the Commission congratulated Chakwera for meeting the gender quota of not less than 40 percent and not more than 60 percent of either sex in such appointments saying out of 12 women, 6 are holding the position of Minister.
Commission however sadly observes that there is youth and Persons with disabilities exclusion in the cabinet despite government’s commitment to inclusion in the National Youth Policy of the National Policy on Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities.
“The Commission’s hope that Government will ensure that as a country we give prominence to substantive equality as espoused by our domestic, international and regional legal frameworks of which Malawi is party to including Sustainable Development Goal number 5 on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls,” reads the Commission’s statement in part.
Meanwhile, social media commentators have however reminded Chakwera of his words made on 8th November, 2018 that former Peter Mutharika’s cabinet was shameful disgrace and an unprecedented insult to all Malawians, saying he did not appoint people on merit saying time for abusing Malawians was over.
However, opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) described the new cabinet as missed opportunity to appoint a cabinet that will assist him to begin to address the nose diving economy to recover for the benefit of suffering Malawians.
In a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary,Shadreck Namalomba observed that Malawians expected Chakwera to reshuffle the cabinet and drop all ministers embroiled in corruption and incompetence.
“We, in the DPP are very pessimistic of the new cabinet we fear for Malawians, with this new cabinet, we see not any light to ending the economic sufferings besieging Malawians,” reads the DPP statement in part.
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The country’s state right watchdog Malawi Human Right Commission (MHRC) on Tuesday, August 17, 2021 condemned in the strongest terms any State sponsored attacks on human rights defenders and in particular the detention of rights activist Sylvester Namiwa of Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI).
The commission has expressed worrisome on how President Lazarus Chakwera’s Tonse government police manhandled Namiwa arguing that law enforcers hand no mandate harass him while he was exercising his rights to demonstrate.
In a press statement made available to The Maravi Post, the commission worried with police conduct that Namiwa was placed in a solitary cell at Lilongwe Police Station and was put in leg irons as if he was a dangerous criminal.
The commission’s chairperson Scader Louis therefore demands Inspector General of Police (IG) George Kaija explanation on Namiwa’s torture justification.
“IG Kaija must also explain and justify why a leader of a public demonstration should be put in leg irons. The Commission is concerned that Mr. Namiwa was not granted police bail on the same day of his arrest, although the reasons for his arrest were unjustified and he did not resist the arrest.Meanwhile, recent events have shown that some suspects being accused of serious criminal offences are being granted police bail.There must be consistency and fairness in treating all persons without discrimination.
“The Commission condemns in the strongest terms any State sponsored attacks on human rights defenders and in particular the detention of rights activist Mr. Sylvester Namiwa of Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI). All the actions of manhandling him and denying him bail were unnecessary and uncalled for. These actions are contrary to the police reforms that have been championed for decades.The Commission will therefore conduct full investigations into the matter and will release findings of the investigations in due course,” reads part of MHRC statement.
The Commission also calls upon the Commissioner of the Independent Police Complaints Commission to conduct independent investigations into this matter.
Malawi police are mute on Namiwa’s brutality but reports show that Msundwe battalion under Chakwera’s Malawi Congress Party (MCP) sanctioned the assault.
Below is Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) statement:
PRESS STATEMENT CONDEMNING THE ARREST AND ILL TREATMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS
The Malawi Human Rights Commission (the Commission) has followed the developments surrounding the arrest of Mr. Sylvester Namiwa, the Executive Director for Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiative (CDEDI). Mr. Namiwa was arrested on Wednesday 11th August 2021 for allegedly organizing an illegal demonstration.
Mr. Namiwa had led demonstrations at the entrance of Parliament Buildings in Lilongwe. The demonstrations were triggered by an allegation of the smuggling of a bill to Parliament by a Presidential aide and a public officer in the Ministry of Finance.
According to the police, Mr. Namiwa was arrested because the demonstrations were not sanctioned by Lilongwe City Council. Mr. Namiwa was released on court bail on Friday, 13th August 2021.
The Commission has conducted preliminary investigations on the matter and has noted a number of human rights violations.
Firstly, the Commission is concerned that a human rights activist was arrested for merely exercising his right. Albeit existing irregularities, the police ought to have stopped the demonstrations and not arrest the human rights activist.
Secondly, the Commission is concerned with the manner in which Mr. Namiwa was roughed up by the police during his arrest. This was undignified. As if that was not enough, he was handcuffed and whisked away to Linthipe Police Unit in Dedza, yet the events leading to his arrest happened in Lilongwe.
There was no justification for this action which in the process denied his relatives, lawyers and fellow comrades the right to communicate with him.
After he was taken back to Lilongwe, Mr. Namiwa was placed in a solitary cell at Lilongwe Police Station and was put in leg irons as if he was a dangerous criminal.
The Commission strongly condemns police action which is not in line with the Constitution of Malawi as well as international human rights standards.
Section 42 of the Constitution states that every arrested person must be held under conditions that are consistent with human dignity.
Placing a suspect of crime under leg irons is inconsistent with human dignity and should be condemned without any reservations.
It is a relic of the past and should not be condoned under the new democratic regime where our police service is expected to abide by human rights standards in the performance of their duties.
There is no justification at all for any suspect to be treated as if they are a condemned prisoner. One must always be presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court of law.
Again Section 42 of the Constitution states that a detained person must be given the means and opportunity to communicate with and to be visited by his or her spouse, partner, next of kin, relative, religious counsellor and medical practitioner of his or her choice.
The same section states that an arrested person must be allowed to consult confidentially with their legal practitioner.
The actions of the police by whisking Mr. Namiwa away from Lilongwe to Dedza made it very difficult for all these rights to be exercised.
The Inspector General of Police must explain why this was done and for what justification. He must also explain and justify why a leader of a public demonstration should be put in leg irons.
Furthermore, the Commission is concerned that Mr. Namiwa was not granted police bail on the same day of his arrest, although the reasons for his arrest were unjustified and he did not resist the arrest.
Meanwhile, recent events have shown that some suspects being accused of serious criminal offences are being granted police bail.There must be consistency and fairness in treating all persons without discrimination.
Finally, the Commission condemns in the strongest terms any State sponsored attacks on human rights defenders and in particular the detention of rights activist Mr. Sylvester Namiwa of Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI).
All the actions of manhandling him and denying him bail were unnecessary and uncalled for. These actions are contrary to the police reforms that have been championed for decades.
The Commission will therefore conduct full investigations into the matter and will release findings of the investigations in due course.
The Commission also calls upon the Commissioner of the Independent Police Complaints Commission to conduct independent investigations into this matter.
Dated this 17th Day of August 2021 Ms. Scader Louis CHAIRPERSON
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Malawi Police Service have issued an warrant of arrest against Mahomed Hannif, a 56-year-old Pakistani national suspected of raping a girl aged 14.
Hannif is suspected to have raped the child in March 2020 at Mudi in Blantyre.
According to a statement by Malawi Police, Malawi Human Rights Commission and Centre for Human Rights Education, Advice and Assistance, Hannif was being prosecuted for defilement and corruption charges.
How he is now a fugitive after he absconded trial.
The three organizations have appealed to those who know Hannif’s whereabouts to report to their nearest police.
“We further wish to warn the general public that should anyone be found to be aiding the fugitive in any way they shall face the arm of the law,” reads part of the statement.
Mzuzu-(MaraviPost)—The Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has advised organisers of demonstrations in the country to follow law and order by going through the institution whenever they want to conduct demos.
In a communique signed by the institution’s Executive Secretary, Habiba Osman, the Commission has stressed that it is a national human rights watchdog which any demonstration organisers should go through to seek its advice, guidance and support.
“Malawi human rights commission is an independent national institution that has been given powers by the constitution of Malawi, under section 129, with the primary responsibility of investigating violation of rights, and based on that we expect that every organisation that is really demonstrating particularly when it comes to rights, will be able to copy us but they will also be able to alert us because our role really is to provide all authorities including all organs of government bodies and the state to recognise but also independently to be able to offer valid guidance when it comes to petitions,” explained Osman.
Osman further said it is an onus on all organisers of the future demos to furnish the institution with a copy of the demos before staging them.
The constitution of the Republic of Malawi, through Section 38, guarantees the right to demonstrate on the condition that all legal procedures have been fulfilled.
Technology and Tourism working togather – By Mikko Lemola
A steering committee that ensures the effective implementation of the Access to Information Act (ATI), which was assented to by President Mutharika in February, has been established.
The committee has 12 members selected from the Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHCCR), the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs (MoJCA), and the Ministry of Information and Information Technology (MoICT).
