Members of the Concerned Citizens, “People Power Movement,” are demanding the resignation of their leader, Edward Kambanje, after he delegated his wife, Beatrice, to attend a disinformation tracking system familiarization tour in Ghana without consulting them.
The tour, organized by the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA), aims to showcase the system’s functionality, which the country, through the authority, is considering procuring.
Kambanje’s decision has sparked outrage among movement members, who claim that Beatrice is not a member of the movement and was not authorized to represent them.
Stack Chimalizeni, the movement’s member, condemned Kambanje’s actions, stating: “This is a betrayal. He did not consult us, and we were not aware that his wife was going to represent us. We demand his immediate resignation for this blatant abuse of power and trust.”
Kambanje has defended his decision, insisting that Beatrice is a trusted member of the movement, voted for by the executive. “The person we sent is our trusted member, and we are hopeful that she will represent us well. This is not the first time we have delegated her to represent us—she was voted for by our esteemed executive. And being my wife, does that mean she cannot work with us?” Kambanje questioned.
The Movement had been at the forefront of opposition to the MACRA plans to procure a disinformation tracking system for $1.5 million. However, in a surprise turn of events earlier this month, the movement made a dramatic U-turn.
At a press briefing in Blantyre, the movement claimed that MACRA had satisfactorily explained the benefits of the system and had committed to engaging stakeholders at every stage of the procurement process to ensure transparency and accountability.
This sudden shift in stance had raised eyebrows, and the latest controversy surrounding Kambanje’s decision to delegate his wife to attend the familiarization tour in Ghana has only added to the scrutiny.
