DPP stooges storm Livingstonia Synod activist

A group of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) stooges stormed the house of Livingstonia Synod's Church and Society Programme Director, Moses Mkandawire and threatened him to stop commenting on the controversial Section 65 of the Republican Constitution. 

Barely a day after President Bingu Wa Mutharika apologized to the Synod, over remarks made by his Chief Political Advisor, Hetherwick Ntaba, who described its leadership as "spiritually bankrupt", Mkandawire has said he is not moved by the threats. 

Ntaba's comments were in reaction to a statement from the Church and Society Programme's Director Mkandawire who attributed the current political impasse to the reluctance of the President to act swiftly on Section 65. 

"They stormed my house and ordered me to shut up. It was a well organised move. They might have been aiming at something else," said Mkandawire, who has been quite, outspoken on various issues ranging from the constitution to human rights. 

"As a programme, we will continue speaking on issues that directly affect people. We cannot be moved by threats. We are not targeting personalities, but systems that might derail our democratic process," he said. 

Mkandawire said as a democratic society, people in Malawi should be left to enjoy the fruits of democracy without any hindrance from anybody. 

"If we chose democracy or to serve people in a democratic country, we should be ready to get criticisms offered in good faith. The issue of Section 65 for the good of the country and it cannot be substituted," he said. 

When contacted for comment, DPP's Regional Governor for the North, Harry Mkandawire denied his party's involvement in the incident. 

"We are a party that believes in peace. We cannot mobilize people to harass others, who toe a different line of thinking contrary to ours. We are very different from the UDF," said  Mkandawire, a former UDF Regional Governor in the North. 

Some human rights organizations have since described the threats on Mkandawire signs of a party that is bent on unleashing terror.