Political analyst Thomas Chirwa has dismissed recent remarks made by the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC), arguing that the organization has lost its credibility and failed Malawians over the past five years after allegedly being captured by the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) administration.
Chirwa’s comments come in response to a statement released by the HRDC, signed by its chairperson Michael Kaiyatsa, in which the group urged the government to urgently address the ongoing fuel shortages, power blackouts, and water supply challenges currently affecting the country.
In its statement, written in both English and Chichewa, the HRDC accused the government of operating “mwa mseri” without transparency and called on President Arthur Peter Mutharika to publicly address the nation regarding the worsening economic situation.
However, Chirwa dismissed the HRDC’s concerns, describing them as baseless and politically motivated.
“Only ill-minded people will listen to what HRDC is saying, the leadership of HRDC seems not to have listened to the State of the Nation Address (SONA). I would like to urge them to read it, because everything they are demanding was clearly addressed by President Mutharika in Parliament.” said Chirwa
Chirwa further argued that instead of issuing public statements, the HRDC should begin by apologizing to Malawians for its role in what he described as “the country’s current mess.”
“HRDC was part of the problem,” he added. “They should first apologize to the people of Malawi before pretending to champion the same issues they helped create.”
The HRDC, which once positioned itself as a major watchdog and advocate for good governance, has in recent years faced criticism from sections of the public who accuse it of losing its independence and aligning with the previous administration.
Meanwhile, the government has not yet officially responded to the HRDC’s latest statement, but political observers say the exchange reflects growing tensions and a decline in public trust toward the coalition.
