Centre for Democracy Economic and Development Initiatives (CDEDl) has suspended vigils which were being conducted at Capital Hill and were aimed at forcing Attorney General Thabo Chakaka-Nyirenda to resign from his position over failure to recover K750 million that was paid to a butchery in the United Kingdom.
CDEDI started the vigils on 22nd May this week and were being conducted with other concerned citizens.
Speaking with reporters, CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa said that they have decided to suspend the protests on security reasons which the grouping noticed during the exercise.
Namiwa said that Malawi Police Service (MPS) arrested 23 people that plotted to attack the protesters and disrupt the vigils and the same police acted strange on Wednesday, around 11am, when they withdrew their manpower from the vigil premises.
“This withdrawal of security, coupled with other strange event, prompted the CDEDl leadership to raise an alarm that included an immediate telephone call to the Lilongwe District Commissioner Lawford Palani, bringing to his attention the state security at the vigil premises.
“To our dismay, the situation remained the same on Thursday, a development that forced CDEDI and the concerned Citizens to lodge a formal complaint with the DC, and the Inspector General of the Malawi Police Service. It is our considered view, that by any measure, security issues are urgent and serious matter in nature,” he explained.
He went on to say that there was no response from the DC by close of business on Thursday, a development that has left grouping and the concerned Citizens with no choice but to suspend the vigils on security grounds up until the Inspector General of Police Merlyn Yolamu explains the sudden withdrawal of manpower amid security threats.
Namiwa however said that the IG owes Malawians an explanation as to why the people that were arrested on Monday on suspicion that they were planning to disrupt the vigils, were released on arrival at Lingadzi police.
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