The ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has been advised to cancel its mega rally scheduled for tomorrow amid concerns that the mass rally will be a Covid-19 super spreader event.
The party intends to hold a mass rally at Masintha Ground in Lilongwe tomorrow. The rally will be preceded by a youth parade from Crossroads to Masintha ground.
MCP spokesperson Maurice Munthali confirmed about the rally in an interview with Malawi24 but he said party leader President Lazarus Chakwera will not attend.
The rally comes at a time when cases of Covid-19 in the country are on the rise, with daily cases hitting double digits. The Ministry of Health yesterday announced three cases of Omicron in the country.
Minister of Health, Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda, who is also a member of the MCP, yesterday expressed concern over continued relaxation in observing prevention measures, saying there have increased public gatherings such as political rallies.
Meanwhile, Malawians have condemned the MCP over the plans to hold the rally and they have demanded the party to cancel the rally.
“Can we all join hands and call for MCP to come to its senses and postpone this weekend’s planned mega rally. I know I have a few friends on my list who are close to the power in MCP. I know some of my friends also have some such people on their friends list. Can we get this message out? Malawi cannot afford to be hit hard by Covid-19 now when our economy is on a death bed. A worsening Covid-19 pandemic will derail whatever development agenda our hard working and precious President and his government has for this nation,” said Mkomandolo Mkomandolo in a post.
Chripine Mphande, a political analyst also noted that the rally might be too risky now considering the rise in cases.
