Bamusi blasts CSOs as ‘noisy hypocrites’ with ‘sinister’ forum

Presidential Advisor on Civil Society organisations, Mavuto Bamusi, on Thursday blasted a group of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) who released a strong worded communiqué criticizing President Peter Mutharika’s administration as a network of “hypocrites.”

On Thursday the CSOs launched a movement in Lilongwe dubbed the Citizens for the Defense of Good Governance.

They accused the Mutharika’s adminitration for turning to intimidation and threats on critics, attempts to divide the civil society through abuse of state resources and threats to the freedom of assembly

But in an interview with Nyasa Times, Bamusi said, they have no moral grounds to criticise Mutharika.

Bamusi said the communiqué which CSOs have issued has not touched on anything new, saying Mutharika’s administration is already addressing all matters raised.

The CSOs asked government to immediately revise the cement subsidy programme, address shortage on drugs, improve security, and quick criminal investigations into both the K92 billion ($168.9 million) and K20 billion ($36.7 million) Cashgate plus into the death of Anti Corruption Bureau official Issa Njauju and pass the access to information bill.

Furthermore, Mutharika must ensure state broadcaster MBC should cease unleashing propaganda against critics, adjust downwards the newly introduced fees in the education sector, and ensure public sector reforms are scrutinized by parliament while acting swiftly to assure the security of rights activists and the media

Bamusi said all the issues are being addressed .

“Recently the President mandated seven senior cabinet ministers to a roundabout discussions at Bingu International Conference Centre in Lilongwe in Lilongwe however, while other CSOs appeared and attended the successful dialogue, it is disheartening that some CSOs that continuously issue press statements and ultimatum to President especially those who have christened themselves, Forum For the Defence of Good Governance, continues snubbing calls for dialogue, as Government we view this as hypocricy of the highest order,” said Bamusi.

He said on power outage, Mutharika already addressed the issues through Kam’mwamba Coal electrification project.

“On the issue regarding the exorbitant fees in secondary and tertiary education the Minister of education addressed the issue during the dialogue with CSOs. All the issues that the Citizens Forum have raised are not new, some require long term while others have already been addressed,” said Bamusi.

On Access to information bill, Bamusi said the leadership of President Mutharika has already expressed commitment in passing the bill into law during the next parliament scheduled for November.

The CSOs, among them, the Centre for Human Rights Rehabilitation (CHRR), the National Organization of Nurses and Midwives (NOMN), Centre for the Development of the People (CEDEP),  Malawi Health Equity Network (MHEN, Youth and Society, JONEHA, among others, also criticized Mutharika for failure to address other pressing public service delivery needs and social ills prevailing in the country.