MCP calls for nationwide protests: Chakwera brands Mutharika ‘temporary tenant’ at State House, ‘no authority to govern’
Opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president Lazarus Chakwera is flexing his political muscle by mobilising his followers to march to State House with his party announcing that it has called for a nationwide protest on Thursday March 12 to push for electoral reforms, despite new menaces from President Peter Mutharika to suppress the revolt.
Chakwera on Monday gave the government 48 hours to release the human rights activists Gift Trapence and Macdonald Sembereka arrested Sunday evening. He said if they remained in custody by Wednesday he would “personally galvanise all peace-loving and law-abiding Malawians” to march to the State House.
In his charged context, Chakwera said President Mutharika is “a temporary tenant “at the State House, official residence of the Head of State.
MCP has since informed authorities that it will hold nationwide peaceful demonstrations on Thursday.
“The party is calling well-meaning and peace-loving Malawians to join these peaceful demonstrations against the failure by the executive arm to uphold the rule of law as manifested in its apparent attack on the judiciary, blatant disregard for human rights, failure to assent to the electoral bills passed by parliament, arbitrary arrests of innocent Malawians, failure to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of crimes, broken public service delivery, corruption, among others,” reads the notice signed by MCP administrative secretary William Sulamoyo.
MCP states that President Mutharika and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) can no longer purport to have the authority to govern the country “when he and his government are in breach of the social contract with Malawians which is the very basis upon which this authority to govern ought to have been assumed as provided for under section 12 of the Constitution.”
In Lilongwe, the demonstrations will start from the Lilongwe Community ground to the Kamuzu Palace. Protestors are encouraged to wear anything red or black.
Meanwhile, Chakwera, who together with UTM Party president and State vice-president Saulos Chilima, — secured the landmark judgement by the five-judge panel of the High Court of Malawi sitting as the Constitutional Court that nullified the May 21 2019 presidential election on February 3 2020— is accusing President Mutharika of openly instigating a crackdown on civil society leaders who were at the forefront of protests and legal action to challenge his election.
He has accused President Mutharika of failure to comply with the law; failure to keep his party matters separate from State issues and failure to respect the independence of State institutions, among others.
Chakwera said the selective and partisan application of rights is “unacceptable.”
He said by ordering the “spurious arrests” of human rights activists from a political party’s rally, Mutharika us “in breach of several provisions of the Constitution.”
According to the MCP leader, political parties are obliged to observe Section 10 (a) of the Constitution, which states that “in the resolution of political disputes, the provisions of this Constitution shall be regarded as the supreme arbiter and ultimate source of authority.”
The human rights activists were arrested barely hours after President Mutharika warned HRDC that both the police and army will use “full force” to stop them from holding demonstrations at State House.
Mutharika’s government has accused HRDC group of waging a violent, militia-style campaign together with the opposition to topple the DPP administration, a claim the rights organisation and opposition rejected.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
State house is within one of the MCPs big Constituency won by MP Jiya so marching within our on constituency is not a problem.
I think oChakwela is a confused politician, he brands Mutharika as a temporary tenant of state house who has no authority to govern and yet he is mobilizing his followers to force the same person to sign bills.
If Mutharika has no authority to govern then whoever has it should be the one to assert those bills as such no need to demonstrates or force Mutharika to do someone else’s job!!!
Crazy Dr Chakwera and power hungry.
o chakwera osamatengera zinthu pa mngong”o
galu iwe. tiger wako
Are you sure Chakwera is a Pastor, Rev, Man of God or what have you? I see this man as power hungry, money lover and a know it all person. This man will be punished by God and it will not be long enough. Before Chakwera starts war in Malawi, God will deal with him severely. Trust my words. There will be blood shed statement he said will happen to him and nobody else
You really make me laugh young man.Do you recall those 3 people spoke at Mnjamba?
Kondwani is real states man of this country and not MYP guy and others. Even Chakwera nayenso says enough is enough and peter relies on police and Army to shoot basi. Each party should guns now because Usewererana kwatha msinkhu.
iwe. are you God kuti uzimpanga judge munthu????
Mr Chakwera, you said you are a man of God, don’t you see in your senses that calling the Malawi people to demonstrate, without a proper reason, because violaters of the law have been arrested, the ones you side with, or maybe you have been using them to disturbalise Malawi, why is it hating you Ochakwera. Don’t forget the truth behind it, show come out openly, and God is watching you for that, respect your fellow Malawians as you respect yourself. Why can’t you talk about peace as a man of God, does demonstrations going to help you win elections,… Read more »
Matthew 21:12; Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves
My dear,where justice is being denied or obstructed,the talk peace will always be a fallacy. Think like a learned person
kagwele iwe
Eish?! This puppet Mtharika is itching me, lm sure is part of this so called coronavirus sign, can our health department isolate this idiot from community to remote area please
ndipo inuinu…………
Does APM and his DPP know that one day they will need the support of civil society when they are in opposition? They are behaving as if they will ALWAYS be on the ruling side. Bwana APM, look closely at the history of DPP and you will realize that had it not been for civil society organizations and ordinary Malawians, the DPP would have ended during the first term of late Bingu. These guys stood by Bingu when he faced stiff opposition in all areas of politics and governance. Ndithudi tsiku lina mudzawafuna achina Mtambo’wa. Mark this date, you will… Read more »
Koma ya TT yokhayo ndi big shot bwanji ??
Chawkera has brought instability in our country. Let’s not tolerate his hunger for power. We are losing a lot everyday.