A grouping called Action Against Impunity (API) has postponed anti-government demonstrations which were scheduled for tomorrow and aimed at hand delivering a petition to President Lazarus Chakwera.
Action Against Impunity (API) has postponed the demonstrations because President Chakwera has travelled to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Addressing the media in Lilongwe, CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa said this is because the API wants to hand deliver the petition to President Chakwera hence proceeding with the demonstrations in the absence of the President will not make sense.
According to Namiwa, the demos will be conducted when Chakwera returns from his trip.
Namiwa then reminded public officers that they are in the positions they hold on trust of the masses, hence they should behave and act accordingly and always desist from any temptation of taking Malawians for granted.
“API gives this free piece of advice after noting with dismay that in the course of preparing the demonstrations it has put on hold until the President is back in
the country, some District Commissioners (DCs) acted funny by turning themselves into operatives of the major player of Tonse Alliance administration, namely the Malawi Congress Party (MCP).
“Needless to remind all public servants that ruling parties come and go, but Malawians are always there, hence it is a no brainer for the DCs to turn themselves into bootlickers of those clueless people in power who are trying in vain to take away Malawians’ constitutional right to hold peaceful demonstrations,” he explained.
He also urged Chakwera to fire officers accused of being involved in the issue of dubious allowances at the Accountant General’s office in Lilongwe.
Commenting on issue of electricity tariff hike, Namiwa warned the Tonse Alliance administration that an increase in electricity tariff will anger Malawians who are already downtrodden with the sky-rocketing prices of essential goods and services which are
making their lives unbearable.
“It is for this reason that API is challenging government, through the Minister of Energy Ibrahim Matola, to make power available to the voters before thinking of skinning them alive with such inhumane tariff hike which, if
implemented, will worsen the problem of deforestation,” he said.
On the court ruling allowing government to relocate refugees and asylum seekers, Namiwa said the Ministry of Homeland Security should proceed with its arrangement to relocate to Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Dowa District.
“While API trusts that the ministry will start the exercise immediately, it is questioning the piece-meal approach the ministry seems to have used by opting to start with refugees and asylum seekers in rural areas, leaving out those in urban areas,” he said.
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