Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) says it will organise “Pa ground sipalibwino” demonstrations if the Tonse Alliance Government fails to come up with a plan to address economic hardships Malawians are experiencing.
In a statement signed by the Chairperson of the grouping Gift Trapence, HRDC says the Tonse Government is taking Malawians for granted.
According to the grouping, people in the country are going through hardships and the government should come up with a clear-cut plan on how to address the economic hardships as well as high levels of unemployment and underdevelopment.
On rule of Law , Trapence said that when everyone thought that the new administration would live up to the expectations of the electorate and make fraud and corruption history, Malawians woke up to the shock of the K6.2 billion Covid-19 funds abuse scandal within the first six months of the Tonse Alliance government.
He added that the government’s unwillingness to audit the second tranche of K17.2 billion meant for Covid-19 national response is another clear sign that the administration is not committed in fighting fraud and corruption.
“Up until now, there is no sign that the implementation of the recommendations of the K6.2 billion audit report will ever be adopted.
“On Public Sector, the government has failed to release the Public Sector Reforms report even when the same government is, with another mouth, preaching that it is championing citizens’ Access to Information under the Access to Information Act.
“Malawians still want to know what is contained in the report which the Vice President submitted to the first citizen earlier this year.
“Ironically, the current administration has cited the operationalization of the Act as one of its major achievements. We have noted that the government seems to have no political will to let the same law be applied. In its own wisdom, the administration thinks that the report on the public sector does not concern the very people who put them in power.
“Government should not forget that the public sector reforms report was funded by the public purse,” reads part of the statement.
On nepotism, Trapence noted that President Chakwera himself, when he was Leader of Opposition, is on record taking a swipe at the DPP government for practicing shameless nepotism in recruitment of public officers and Malawians can now judge for themselves that they have replaced a nepotistic regime with another of like mind.
He also said that Chakwera is very slow in doing things. He cited the president’s failure to replace three cabinet ministers, months after the ministerial positions fell vacant.
However, Minister of Information Gospel Kazako has argued that Government has already addressed 95 percent of issues highlighted by the HRDC.
The minister said Government is committed to improving the lives of Malawians and is currently focusing on ensuring that the Affordable Input Programme -AIP is a success.
He then faulted some sectors for showing negativity towards on anything the Government is doing saying politics of negativity is what derails Malawi’s economy.
