HRDC to hold demonstrations every Tuesday and Friday

… Says no amount of tears will stop them

Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) says it will continue to demand accountability by holding demonstrations every Tuesday and Friday until Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson Justice Jane Ansah resigns.

Speaking at a press briefing at the organization’s offices in Lilongwe, HRDC National Chairperson Timothy Mtambo said no amount of tears will stop them from demanding accountability.

He said that demonstrations will start on 16 July and will be held nationwide until (MEC) Chairperson Jane Ansah resigns.

Mtambo also condemned the arbitrary arrest of HRDC Vice Chairperson Gift Trapence and member Reverend McDonald Sembereka aimed at silencing HRDC and any regime critics.

“Our resolve to accountability is unshaken, they can arrest us all but the noble cause we are fighting will not go with us to jail and the people themselves will continue to manifest our call to accountability,” he explained.

Mtambo stated that no amount of propaganda will intimidate them to stop demanding electoral justice saying it is wrong for some people to regard the calls for Ansah to resign as a gender issue.

He also condemned the Forum for Concerned Women for telling old women to join pro-Ansah protests which were held on Wednesday.

The HRDC chairperson then called for the immediate release of Trapence and Sembereka who were arrested on Tuesday for fraud.

Last week, the coalition also held demonstrations to demand the resignation of Ansah. They accuse her of mismanaging the presidential elections in which President Peter Mutharika emerged winner.