Leader of Opposition Kondwani Nankhumwa says President Lazarus Chakwera should tread carefully on firing, redeployment and arrests of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) sympathizers.
Nankhumwa issued the warning in Parliament on Monday where he delivered his response to Chakwera’s State of the National Address (SONA).
According to Nankhumwa, over the last three months there have been arbitrary and politically motivated arrests.
He said the DPP is not against wheels of justice but there is a problem when the arrests are politically motivated and targeted only at members of the DPP.
“I wish to encourage His Excellency President Dr Lazarus Chakwera to exercise caution in his quest to “clear the rubble”; he must search for Nelson Mandela in him and reach out to his perceived enemies for the sake of unity and development. This is not a call for the government to stop seeking justice by not arresting those who clearly did wrong. No,” said Nankhumwa.
He also spoke against dismissals of perceived DPP sympathisers from their posts in the public sector.
Nankhumwa said Principal Secretaries (PSs) who have been redeployed for no apparent reason except that they are perceived to be DPP sympathizers include Stuart Ligomeka from Statutory Corporations to OPC Special Duties; Sungani Mandala from Accountant General to OPC Special Duties; Ben Botolo from Foreign Affairs to OPC Special Duties and Hillalio Chimota from Department of Human Resource to OPC Special Duties;
Others include Gertrude Hiwa from Solicitor General to OPC Special Duties; Grey Nyandule Phiri from Agriculture to OPC Special Duties; and Justin Saidi from Education to OPC Special Duties.
He also mentoned Mackford Somanje who was fired from National Registration Bureau (NRB) and Dr Dan Namarika who was fired as PS Health.
The Leader of Opposition further claimed that DPP electoral commissioners Dr. Jean Mathanga and Linda Kunje, are yet to receive letters of appointment from the Office of President and Cabinet (OPC) as demanded by public employment conditions but their colleagues from MCP and other parties have received their letters of appointment.
“It is my sincere hope that the President will soon take heed of a strong legal advice by the Attorney General Dr Chikosa Silungwe that these willy-nilly transfers and dismissals shall soon backfire and cost more poor Malawians as taxpayers,” said Nankhumwa.
Mr Hon K everyone knows that a lot of dirt has been done under the watch of these people you mentioned and they did nothing to stop the dirt as senior or heads of their departments – why do we need to keep such people in the government. They are lucky that in government people are not fired for incompetence! These people simply did not serve us ordinary Malawians – one can assume their heart or interest was elsewhere if I can say politely . Malawians are still angry with what DPP Governmemt did to citizens of this country- you took us as your slaves .