Activist Duwa rejects board appointment

Executive Director for Pan African Civic Educators Network, (PACENET) Steve Duwa has turned down the offer to serve  as a board director for Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Esom), saying doing so would be contravening the dictates of his organization that prohibits its employees from political alignment.

 Duwa ; No, thank you!
Duwa ; No, thank you!

“I would rather opt to be where I have been so that I provide the checks and balances on the government operation without any compromise,” Duwa who also heads Malawi Electoral Support Network,  told Nyasa Times.

Malawi President Peter Mutharika recently appointed several people including rights activists as board members for various statutory corporations without  consulting them.

Among them is the government critic, the Executive Director for Consumers Association of Malawi (Cama) John Kapito who was appointed while outside the country.

A political scientist at the Chancellor College of the University of Malawi,  Boniface Dulani said recently that the appointment of the civil rights activists into the boards of statutory corporations is government’s ploy to weaken the civil society organizations and rights campaigners that have been critical of government.

Dulani said the move would likely  jeopardize politics and human rights activism in the country.

“I can also say that the appointment of some civil rights campaigners into the statutory corporations in a move by government to please their loyalists,” he said.

However activist Billy Banda says his appointment as a chairperson for Malawi Gaming Board will not compromise his stand.

“I just feel honoured to be appointed, but this will have nothing to do with my role a human rights campaigner,” he said.

Government spokesperson Kondwani Nankhumwa says the inclusion of civil right activist in the various boards shows that the ruling DPP is an inclusive government.

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felix
felix
9 years ago

bwana duwa safuna cv yawo pakhale political appointment.ndi retired and educated solder.mungowapatsa aboard chair anu

Oluza ali m'boma
Oluza ali m'boma
9 years ago

One day you will regret to have turn down the offer, aliyense aise amadya pakhomo pake, umenyera ufulu wa ndani? Umufuse John bwebweta man Kapito

Calisto Phiri
Calisto Phiri
9 years ago

Mr Duwa is right there is no way he can join these political events otherwise his organisation activities wil be compromised simunthu wadyela koma ofuna kukwanilisa cholinga cha bungwe lake

chiduma
chiduma
9 years ago

Several board members, what for? What role do they play? Onse aja muwapase misonkho yathu?

Chipapwiche
Chipapwiche
9 years ago

So being a board member is political alignment! I need to be educated on what political alignment is otherwise I don’t think Mr Duwa has a point. Several people have been appointed and worked as board members over the years and understood their roles and responsibilities. You should have been the first person to jump on this opportunity to help in the electricity problems we face as a nation. I just think this man has no clue on what he is supposed to do or is a coward. We shouldn’t cheat each other on the appointments closing peoples mouth. This… Read more »

basa
basa
9 years ago
Reply to  Chipapwiche

Your brain is thicker that your memory is low and can not contain this even if you are educated 100X. Sizofunikanso kuphunzitsidwa izi. These targeted appointments aim to weaken the activities of the other side. You can not serve too masters having different activities at a time.

illiterate
illiterate
9 years ago
Reply to  Chipapwiche

Epic fail. You don’t really make sense. How many able and critical minds have gone into the government and its affiliates and ended up on a pile of ineffective bootlickers?

APM
APM
9 years ago

Ndimaopa kupanga za mchimwene wanga akayamba kundipanikiza. ndimayesa pobela masankho basi ndili boo! koma shee! apa ndiye nkhanga zaonadi.am gonna die on 5th april also.

Zachilomwe
Zachilomwe
9 years ago

This is an agreed move with Peter to fool us, this stupid guy was the first to release his stupid statistics during the election time. I hate this Mlomwe. I divorced my Lhomwe Wife of 16 years after the elections because I hate DPP and their tribalistic tendencies.

zoshola
zoshola
9 years ago

Duwa asatipusitse ndi wa DPP.Anadya zambiri pachisankho lero afuna kuoneka mnjelo?

Cymru
Cymru
9 years ago

Every person has a right to accept or reject an offer. There is nothing strange. May be in Malawi it is news.

Mfwethu
Mfwethu
9 years ago

For a government to be inclusive it does not mean that it has to rope in human rights activists. Why can’t they look around for malawians of good standing in society who can really help the country run these statutory corporations? Koreia Mpatsa, Mpinganjira etc should be people that should come to the president’s mind when thinking of people who can help this country. Look around the good people who can help malawi, don’t think of silencing dissenting views just cause you wanna hear something good being said about thyself. Bob Marley sang: “why boast at thyself oh evil man,… Read more »

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