Malawi’s Human rights organization HRDC is set to hold national-wide demonstrations from Wednesday to Friday this week forcing President Prof. Arthur Peter Muthalika to walk out from office.
Speaking during a media briefing in Lilongwe on sunday HRDC Chairperson Gift Trapence told journalists that they have planned a three – million protests for to demand the resignation of MEC chief election officer Sam Alufandika and also for Muthalika to resign due to his unprofessional leadership as a state president.
HRDC officials at the Presser
HRDC have been at the forefront of demonstrations in which they were demanding the resignation of former MEC chaiR Jane Ansah.
HRDC officials said President Muthalika’s recorded State of National Address ( SONA) that was played in the parliament last Friday clearly revealed that he has failed to administrate the country.
Trapense also assured Malawians that President seat will be vacant by June 3 if MEC fails to conduct the elections.
The protests ate scheduled to take place in Mzuzu, Lilongwe and Blantyre.
The state vice president and the Tonse alliance runningmate Dr. Saulos Chilima has urged Malawians to make Malawi a nation which will be governed by the law than the personal needs of individuals in positions.
Speaking to thousands of Malawians who gathered at St. Augustine 3 ground in Mangochi, Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima started by saying in the next 16 days Malawians are supposed to go to polls to have the legitimate president of their own choice and reminded Members of Parliament that as they go to Parliament tomorrow they must act with urgency on electoral matters to save the nation from the current problems while serving the need of many Malawians and avoiding the situation of a crisis if 150 days ordered by the courts expires before election is conducted. He then urged Malawians to vote in large numbers for Dr. Lazarus Chakwera as the president of Malawi. With confidence Dr. Chilima told the gathering that Dr. Chakwera is going to be the 6th president of the republic of Malawi from June 23 this year.
Chilima at a rally in mangochi
He said time has come for Malawi to have leaders not rules who can unite all Malawians, saying if such leaders are put in positions, that will be the beginning of new Malawi . On religion, Dr. Chilima joined other speakers before him in condemning the use of religion as a political milestone ahead of the fresh election. On education Chilima said Tonse alliance will ensure girl child education is promoted to make sure many girls get education to higher levels and complement the developmental agenda of Chakwera -Chilima administration. Dr. Chilima also touched on making Mangochi a large tourism industry and a major lake City, agriculture, trade and industry, need for peace as a nation, issues of democracy and need to protect such democracy which didn’t come on a silver platter in Malawi.
Before Dr. Chilima made his speech, Dr. Usi who is the vice president for UTM encouraged the Tonse supporters to go out and vote on the voting day to prove their unmoved morale to the alliance, saying morale alone doesn’t win election.
Making her remarks the Secretary General for UTM, Hon. Patricia Kaliati who of recent has been using gospel rhythms as her preamble condemned the acts of violence in the Eastern region saying as one region that played a role in the dawn of Multiparty democracy, it is not supposed to be misused in the way it is being currently and urged the police officers to be neutral in executing their duties as they are a government security agency and not party security team, further Kaliati appealed with chiefs not to side political parties but work towards developing their areas. She then encouraged all Tonse alliance leaders in Mangochi to work together towards serving Malawians. Hon. Patricia Kaliati has since urged all Malawians to vote for Dr. Lazarus Chakwera of Tonse alliance.
In the speech made by Hon. Ibrahim Matola, the SG for Peoples Party, it was clear that the use of religion to win political theme is dividing Islamic family further. Lamenting that politicians must avoid using religion as political stamina, Matola said if there is time that Islam had well spread then it was during Kamuzu era. Matola who seemed to have many issues to speak but limited with time urged the people of Mangochi not to be cheated as they have been cheated for long, saying enough is enough the PP’ SG narrated some problems faced by the people and added that their eyes are now open and won’t allow to be used by failed politicians.
As Dr. Chilima was in Mangochi, Tonse Alliance torchbearer Dr. Lazaus Chakwera was on whistle stop tours in Kasungu, while the former head of state Dr. Joyce Banda was in Dedza. Mangochi has over 400,000 registered voters as per 2019 voters roll while Kasungu has over 325,000 registered voters.
Tonse Alliance Presidential torchbearer, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera says Chakwera – Chilima leadership is set to revamp smallholder farming for agriculture to remain the backbone of Malawi’s economy.
Dr. Chakwera says smallholder farming has gone down because the previous Governments after Kamuzu had no interest of revamping it only preaching that Malawi is an agricultural country.
He says Chakwera – Chilima leadership will re introduce farmers clubs which will be getting loans for agricultural inputs and be repaying after selling their agricultural produce thereby making everyone in the country benefit from Malawi’s economy.
Speaking in Kasungu during whistle stops campaign meetings, Dr. Chakwera assures farmers that Chakwera – Chilima leadership will reduce a bag of fertilizer to K4,495 to make all farmers be able to purchase fertilizer so that agriculture be the backbone of the country’s economy not on paper but practically.
” Farmers will be able to grow crops with already having prices in their mind. We will establish markets for farmers to sale their produce for them to be happy taking agriculture as a business,” says Dr. Chakwera.
He says Chakwera – Chilima leadership will bring back agricultural advisors to make sure that what farmers are producing are of good standards to meet the world markets.
The MCP President says Chakwera – Chilima leadership will boost tourism industry in Malawi by making sure that all the roads to the tourism attraction centres are graded for tourists to be able to travel and see nature without much problems.
On politics, Dr. Chakwera assures Malawians that Chakwera – Chilima leadership is for uniting Malawians regardless of region, tribe and religion saying Malawi is one country and politics should not separate people.
Dr. Chakwera urged chiefs to be non partisan and not to be under full control of politicians saying this tendency has made many chiefs to be poor because they are used to kneeling down at the feet of politicians begging for money .
Malawi’s former Vice President (VP) Cassim Chilumpha, who is also Assembly for Democracy and Development (ADD) leader, has condemned the alleged shooting of unarmed civilians by incumbent VP Saulos Chilima’s security personnel in Machinga, saying it raises fears of the worst should MCP-UTM alliance leaders be elected into government.
Speaking at a political rally he addressed in Nkhotakota on Saturday alongside alliance partners Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and United Democratic Front (UDF) officials, Chilumpha said firing at unarmed civilians was frightening.
UTM Party president Saulos Chilima cancelled his campaign whistle stops in Machinga on Friday after unknown people blocked the road he was traveling.
Dr Cassim Chilumpha
The incident led to the shooting by Chilima’s security personnel. Some people are reported to have been injured in the process.
Despite calls by different leaders, including political party presidents, political violence in the country continues to rage as the ruling and opposition sides have seen their share of victimisation and aggression.
“The President chose to use a bypass road in Lilongwe when people blocked his motorcade despite having the power to order his security men to use force and clear the way.
“And his running mate Atupele Muluzi recently in Mponela left the place without such incident despite people blocking his motorcade,” he said.
DPP Secretary General Grezelder Jeffrey said the party was poised to win the court sanctioned presidential election, citing a number of development projects by the DPP-led government.
UDF Member of Parliament for Nkhotakota South East, Yahard Ibrahim Sadala said President Peter Mutharika was a humble and patient leader who needed to continue ruling the country for continued peace and development.
Speaking at the same rally, Traditional Authority Malengachanzi bemoaned lack of respect, love and justice in the country, saying it was causing problems.
He said jealousy, envy and the pull him/her attitude by many Malawians was retarding development in the country.
The strategic director of Malawi Congress Party Dr Ken Zikhale Ng’oma has donated an ambulance and a Maize Mill to the people of Nkhatabay South . Zikhale who is the legislator for the area made the donation on Saturday as part of his developmental projects for the area.
Zikhale handing over keys of the Ambulance
At the handing over ceremony at Kalowa Primary school ground, that was attended by MCP director of economic affairs Dr Cornelius Mwalwanda, Zikhale said the people of the area have suffered for a long time. He said the ambulance will help alleviate the problems people face in taking the sick to hospital and for the health centres in the area to transfer some patients to the district hospital. Zikhale also said he was touched that people had no access to better maize mills in order to grind their maize and he thought it was wise that he chips in and help.
Zikhale who became the parliamentarian for the area in 2019 has already embarked on big development projects in the area. Recently he has brought tap water to many of the areas as well as donating various supplies to local health centres.
Handing over the Maize Mill
Speaking to 247malawi News , Zikhale said he is passionate about development and he will use his opportunity as member of parliament to bring development to the people of Nkhatabay “Those who know me know that I am serious when it comes to development, for a long time the people in this area have lacked meaningful resources to improve their lives and I will make sure that I make a difference to their lives” said Zikhale
The people in the area thanked Zikhale for the kind gesture
Zikhale after donating the AmbulanceDr Cornelius Mwalwanda was also in attendance
