The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has condemned President Lazarus Chakwera for assenting to the Labour Relations (Amendment) Bill, saying the new legislation is an attack on the freedoms that symbolise modern day democratic Malawi.
The DPP has released a statement after President Chakwera assented to the Labour Relations (Amendment) Bill 2021, turning it into law. The act, among others, limits the period for industrial action (strike) by employees to three (3) days per year.
DPP’s Shadow Minister of Labour Honourable Joseph Nomale says in a statement dated October 16 that by proceeding to assent to the controversial Bill, President Chakwera has shown that he is an arrogant man who does not like to take advice from the people who gave him and his Malawi Congress Party (MCP) the mandate to lead them.
He added that the law has the capacity to reverse the democratic gains made over the past 20 years since it is an attack against the governance architecture of our Constitution and the freedoms that symbolise modern day democratic Malawi.
“The Tonse Alliance government wants to deny workers the freedoms and rights that Malawians fearlessly fought for in the early 1990s. It is regrettable to witness the Tonse Alliance government deliberately diluting the democratic gains achieved over past two decades with reckless abandon.
“It is my considered opinion that this amended law will take this country back to the dark days of one-party dictatorship,” said Nomale.
When the bill was passed in July this year, labour groups in the country complained that they were not properly consulted. They demanded Chakwera to reject the bill in order to pave way for consultations.
Nomale, who is also Member of Parliament for Chiradzulu East, has faulted the president over his failure to listen to such cries.
“By proceeding to assent to the controversial Bill, President Chakwera has displayed to us that is an arrogant man. He does not like to take advice from the people who gave him and his Malawi Congress Party (MCP) the mandate to lead them,” he said.
He noted that one of the fundamental principles and rights at work is “freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining” hence government has no business denying workers the right to strike.
Nomale then urged President Chakwera to reverse this decision to avert serious repercussions that may result from mass demonstrations by workers.
Better have dictatorship than having you DPP fools plundering our taxes in broad day light..you took Malawi years backward when you were in power. A good dictatorship like that in Rwanda is good for the people and country.