…says protesters will wear masks
Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) says it will conduct demonstrations on 28 May to demand the resignation of Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson Jane Ansah.
Chairperson of the grouping Gift Trapence said this during a press briefing which the grouping conducted in Lilongwe.
Trapence said Malawians have been eager to go to the streets and exercise their right of demonstrations because Ansah’s arrogance is fueling people’s anger.
He added that they will also come up with a number of legal strageties to remove the commisioners because the levels of the impunity that Ansah and her fellow Commissioners carry deserve different strageties of dealing with them.
“Ansah and her fellow commissioners cannot be trusted to preside over the fresh elections because they mismanaged the May 21 elections. We will not tolerate them to mismanage the coming elections,” he said.
HRDC has been calling for Ansah’s resignation over the MEC’s management of the now nullified 2020 presidential Elections.
On concerns that 28 May protests will be against guidelines on the prevention of Coronavirus, Trapence said they will advise the protesters to wear masks and follow measures to prevent from contracting the pandemic during the demonstrations.
In his remarks, HRDC member MacDonald Sembereka asked Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to stop tribalism and let Malawians vote for whoever they want.
He also demanded DPP runningmate Atupele Muluzi to stop using a convoy which is supposed to be used by the vice president of the country saying Muluzi is squandering Malawians’ taxes.
Sembereka then asked the Inspector General of Malawi Police Service (MPs) Duncan Mwapasa to investigate the acts of political violence that have been happening in the country.
He added that the police should arrest people who are suspected of petrol bombing a UTM office in Lilongwe where members of of the Tambala family sustained burns and three died.
