The Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) has joined Vice President Saulos Chilima in demanding early presidential elections
The HRDC held a press briefing yesterday in Lilongwe where it demanded Chakwera to suspend all international and local travel and also dismiss underperforming ministers, presidential advisors, and directors who have failed in their duty to manage the economy.
The coalition also asked Chakwera to present sustainable and actionable solutions to the fuel crisis and ensure professional and transparent procurement, management and timely distribution of fertilizer for the Affordable Inputs Program (AIP) program.
He said if Chakwera fails to provide solutions or implement cost-cutting measures, he should call for early elections.
“Should the president fail to demonstrate commitment to these demands, we will be left with no choice but to mobilize Malawians through legitimate means to halt the violation of their constitutional rights by the government,” he said
Last year, Vice President Saulos Chilima also called for fresh presidential elections because Chakwera’s Malawi Congress Party (MCP) was departing from an agreement with UTM.
According to Chilima, when forming the Tonse Alliance, the two parties agreed that Chakwera would be the presidential candidate of the alliance in 2020 elections while Chilima who lead the alliance to the 2025 elections.
Chilima accused Chakwera and the MCP of departing from this agreement and advocating for a split.
He argued that if the alliance were to be terminated, it would amount to cheating on the popular will of the people of Malawi that mandated the Alliance to form Government.
“Indeed, if we were to terminate the Alliance, in honesty we would have to call for a fresh presidential election,” said Chilima weeks after Chakwera stopped delegating him duties due to corruption allegations.
Over the past months, relations between the two appear to have improved and Chilima is now being delegated duties.
