HRDC no retreat on ‘Ansah-must-fall’, calls for fresh demos in Lilongwe

Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) has called for a fresh wave of anti-Jane Ansah protests from October 1 to 4 just days after similar demonstrations in Blantyre turned nasty, injuring several people.

HRDC chairperson Timothy Mtambo said the organization has now adopted a strategy of organizing such protests in one city or town at a time.

“After Lilongwe, we will go to Blantyre. We want to end the impunity which happened there,” said Mtambo.

He said the protests would have been held on Monday but HRDC had to comply with the 48-hour notice to the police and city council before protests.

“These pro-electoral justice demonstrations have been organised in protest of the continued failure of MEC chairperson Dr. Jane Ansah and all MEC commissioners to resign from their offices following mismanagement and tippexed 2019 tripartite elections and failure of the Malawi Police Service to arrest perpetrators of violence connected to the ruling party,” said Mtambo.

The new wave of protests come just days after the police were accused in Blantyre of dispersing the HRDC protesters along Kamuzu Highway to pave way for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) blue parade.