Activist Chiza accuses Mutharika of being a smug
A pro-democracy activist, Ben Chiza Mkandawire, has lashed at President Bingu wa Mutharika’s increased autocracy, branding him as a smug.
Chiza Mkandawire has been driving his democracy activism through the social media and condemned the deteriorating human rights situation in Malawi with the current spate of arbitrary arrests on Mutharika’s growing band of critics.
“Bingu has become a smug, self satisfied politician who thinks he is King,” says Mkandawire who was arrested in October 2011 following a demonstration outside the Parliament in Lilongwe carrying a banner calling President a dictator.
He reported receiving anonymous death threats because of his criticism of the government and engagement in the protest movement.
The activist said Mutharika has become “oily, smarmy and arrogant.”
Mkandawire, one of the coordinators of Malawi Diaspora Forum from in UK, returned to Malawi last year to engage in the pro-reform movement.
He has been part of the crusade calling for President Mutharika to resign or call for a referendum to renew his mandate for his alleged failure to identify solutions to current Malawi’s social-economic problems and practice good governance.
But speaking at the Mangochi World Water Day function, Mutharika challenged those calling for his resignation that he will not step down until 2014.
“In fact if I wished I would have find ways to run for a third term. But I can’t do that and after 2014 I will pack up and go because the country’s laws don’t allow an incumbent president to run for a third term,” said Mutharika.
Global human rights watchdogs have voiced concerns with Malawi and appeal to government to take measures to halt all forms of harassment those engaged in the pro-reform movement who have been the target of repression and harassment.
