Activists plan anti-Mutharika protests

Civil society groups in Malawi are secretlly meeting to organise “peaceful and constitutional demonstrations”  to force President Peter Mutharika to address the country’s deteriorating economic situation and protest that the President is increasingly becoming arrogant and intolerant.

Sources close to the organising group confirmed the development but said details of the demonstration like places and dates are yet to be worked out.

The source said high on the agenda are the arrogance and intolerance of President Mutharika on crucial issues such as the chartering of presidential dates and the sending of over 100 delegation to the UN when the economy is down at its knees.

When contacted, civil rights activist Billy Mayaya said Malawians will be mobilised into peaceful protests and other forms of expression.

On Thursday Mutharika ruled out slowing down on global trotting on expensive chartered expensive presidential jets, defiantly boasting he would be up in the skies heading to India and England before December.

“Do you want your President to be at the airports for 10 hours?…I dont want your money but I want to help you,” he said.

Mayaya however cautioned the President to stop shouting at Malawians as if they were his own children, saying he is accountable to Malawians.

“We will not be silenced. Malawi is going down the tubes and he is busy gallivanting around the world instead of showing leadership,” he said.

It is yet to be seen how the civil society will organise the protests as the government tactitfuly divided the movement with some massively benefitting from the DPP administration.

However, the fact remains that Malawi is going through the worst economic turbulations that calls for belt tightening and sacrifice starting from the presidency.

CSOs argue that Malawi was facing a “series of catastrophes” with the cost of living was rising alarmingly and fears that Malawi was turning into an “autocratic kleptocracy”.

Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world, with an estimated 75% of the population living on less than $1 (60p) a day while the President and the super rich ruling class are living in opulence.