By Vincent Gunde
Concerned residents and traders of Blantyre say they have learnt with shock and dismay over the NGO Gender Coordination Network ( GCN) and Women’s Manifesto Movement statements of rushing to condemn Mayor Isaac Jomo Osman while remaining completely silent on the plaque of theft and stolen property in the markets.
The two women organizations in their press statements called on the law enforcers to arrest Mayor Jomo Osman for slapping a woman who is a suspect of theft offences.
The call by the two organizations on Jomo to be arrested has been greeted with anger by the residents and traders of Blantyre who don’t understand why Jomo has to be arrested out doing ” Operation mchotsa mbava zonse in Limbe and Blantyre.
In an open letter to the two women organizations, the residents and traders have told them openly that their demand for Mayor’s arrest is an insult to every woman in Mtopwa who has had her business ruined by criminals.
In the letter, the residents and traders have asked the two women organizations on their claim to stand for ” women’s dignity” questioning them where is the dignity for the victims of theft? And why they are only used to protect those suspected of committing a crime?
The concerned residents and traders have thrown their weight on Jomo that he did what any leader who cares for his people would do.
They said Mayor Jomo confronted the problem of theft in Limbe and Blantyre head – on saying the people are tired of ” polite” leaders who sit in offices while citizens are being robbed in the streets without taking actions to stop the spate of theft cases.
The residents and traders have advised the two women organizations that if they want to talk about gender based violence, they should talk about the violence of poverty caused by the theft of their property.
” We do not need your based activism, we need leaders like Jomo who has the courage to stand up for the honest trader,” reads the open letter in part.
The residents and traders have finally appealed to the two women organizations to stop protecting criminals and start protecting the citizens.
Meanwhile, a Malawi Congress Party (MCP) diehard of Mvera in Dowa district Mr. Rodgers Kamphangala, has allegedly accused the MCP of sponsoring Agape Khombe and Billy Malata to hold demonstrations against Blantyre City Mayor Isaac Jomo Osman in Lilongwe on Thursday 7th May, 2026 and not Blantyre.
Kamphangala said by allowing Khombe and Malata to hold the demos in Lilongwe, this is speaking for itself that MCP cannot run away from being part of the planned demonstrations.
He has assured the MCP that even if Mutharika can be forced to step down as President of the Republic of Malawi, there’s no way a candidate from MCP can win trust of the 22 million plus citizens to become President of the country any time soon.
The MCP diehard has challenged Khombe and Malata that if they are genuine activists, they should hold their demonstration in Blantyre and not Lilongwe.
According to the letter of their intent to hold peaceful demonstration, assembly point will be at Lilongwe City Council offices and from there, they will deliver petitions to American Embassy, British High Commission, Norwegian Embassy, Ministry of Local Government and finally the Ministry of Gender and Community Development.
