HRDC trashes Malawi leader’s speech as ‘weird’: Trapence vows to fight on like Mtambo

The Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) has described President Peter Mutharika’s address to the nation on Tuesday as  strange and a  waste of time and not worthy listener-ship.

HRDC executive member Reverend MacDonald Sembereka panned as a “weird” speech by the and mocked as poorly delivered.

Mutharika said opposition politicians are the creators of the bloodsucking rumours  who have vehicles and they move around at night in the Central Region where they intimidate and kill people.

He also connected the rumours to the forthcoming fresh presidential elections.

Sembereka  said the address demonstrated Mutharika’s lack of seriousness on issues of national importance.

He said Malawians did not expect the President to “crack a joke” on bloodsucking rumours at a time the country is grappling with the critical social and economic difficulties emanating from the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

“That address was not worthy listenership. We expected the President to say something that would help us unite as a nation and not divide us further.

“Surely, the President missed the opportunity to demonstrate his leadership on matters of national importance such as bloodsucking rumours,” he said.

HRDC interim chairperson Gift Trapence, who has taken over from fierce activist Timothy Mtambo,  assured that the coalition will relent in its fight for good governance and an end to impunity in government.

Trapence said Malawians should expect another wave of protests once Covid-19 ends.

He said  HRDC will engage an extra gear in fighting for the rights of Malawians.

“My leadership will fight oppression, it will fight corruption. My leadership will serve the interest of Malawians,” Trapence said.

Meanwhile, Trapence has demanded government to account for resources it has received so far in the Covid-19 fight.

He also said  HRDC will look into allegations that some children are being registered in the southern region so that they should be allowed to vote during the upcoming fresh election.