The Leadership Institute for Transparency and Accountability (LITA) says it is worrisome that the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) is strategically set for anarchy and one party state, and has since urged the party to stop sponsoring “thugs” and tackle hunger instead.
This is contained in a condemnation press statement which has been titled “Signs toward the rebirth of one party state”, dated 26 February, 2024, and it has been signed by LITA Executive Director Goodwell Logeya.
In the statement, while emphasizing that freedom of assembly is a birthright, Logeya said it is very disappointing that MCP sponsored ”thugs” to disrupt a political parade which was organized by the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in Lilongwe last Saturday, 24 February, 2024.
The Institute said Malawi is for every Malawian and does not belong to a single political party and while warning MCP to stop the one party system, LITA has also called upon all political parties in the country to make sure that they co-exist and carry their political obligations dutifully.
“The Leadership Institute for Transparency and Accountability (LITA) strongly condemns the uncivilized act by thugs believed to have been sponsored by the governing Malawi Congress Party (MCP) to disrupt the peaceful assembly and parade organized by the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in Lilongwe. It is very paralyzing to see that MCP officials are downplaying the truth by shielding their diabolic political thugs while many casualties are battling with deep wounds in the hospitals.
“LITA and its stakeholders have been following events in Malawi (including what is happening in Parliament now), and we are made to believe that MCP has strategically set for anarchy and one party state. The President and his cohorts must be reminded that Malawi shall remain a democratic state willynilly!” reads part of LITA statement.
LITA continued by saying that the MCP’s regime has been characterized by the detention, arbitrary arrest, judicial harassments, death threats and intimidation of human rights activists, journalists, women, and innocent political opponents, orchestrated by bankrupt politicians who believe are above the law and it has urged the party to stop the vices and focus on fighting hunger.
“Instead of sponsoring thugs with sharp panga knives, axes and lethal weapons, MCP leadership must tackle hunger, high costs of living, high inflation, corruption, tribalism, forex scarcity, drug shortages, among other socio-economic problems which are already the venomous sting on the citizens. It is, therefore, uncalled for to indulge on attacking tax-payers who lucratively salary the President, his family, cronies and tribesmen instead of satisfying them,” reads another part of the statement.
The Institute further added that sadly, the Police, on the other hand, seem to have no proactive measures to apprehend the culprits yet they were reportedly on the crime scene and video clips that are viral on social media can provide a swift lead to bring the thugs and their political masters to book.
On the recent released pastoral letter by Catholic Bishops whom it described as the midwives of multiparty democracy in the country, LITA say Malawians of goodwill must listen to the voice of reason enshrined in their prophetic call, and fearlessly act wisely by rooting out any strategies and political machinations that are butchering the country’s hard-won democracy.
In additional, LITA suggests that signs are so clear that Malawi’s leadership tragedy must be solved by the same voters who ushered the “seemingly indispensable” MCP into power.
