Chakwera calls for speedy investigation into Namiwa’s abduction

Malawi president Lazarus Chakwera has urged the country’s security agencies to speed up investigation into the alleged abduction of human rights advocate Sylvester Namiwa.

This is according to a press statement signed by the presidential press secretary, Anthony Kasunda who says the president is disturbed by Namiwa’s abduction and calls for speedy investigations on the matter.

Chakwera through Kasunda says the development is against his leadership principles under the SUPER HI-5, which is the rule of law.

“His Excellency Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, president of the republic of Malawi, is disturbed by the alleged abduction of Mr Sylvester Namiwa, Executive Director of the Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiative (CDEDI), on Wednesday 27 July by unknown people,” reads part of the statement.

Chakwera says he remains resolute in his commitment to fight against any forces challenging government efforts to keep Malawi a free society in which every citizen enjoys their rights as enshrined in the constitution of the republic of Malawi

President Chakwera has then called for speedy investigations on the matter and has urged security agencies to make sure that all the suspects are brought to book.

“The President, therefore, condemns the lawless act and calls upon the Malawi Police Service and other law enforcement agencies to speed up investigations into the matter until Mr. Namiwa’s safety is restored, his captors are brought to justice and Malawians are informed of the truth regarding his alleged abduction,” reads another part of the statement.

Several quarters suspect that Namiwa has been abducted for organizing protests pushing for removal of presidential immunity and exposing suspected careless plunder of public resources by senior government officials.

Meanwhile, various human rights groups, political parties and  Leader of Opposition in Parliament Kondwani Nankhumwa have threatened to hold the Chakwera-led government accountable if anything bad happens to activist Namiwa.