Chakwera fury over Kalindo’s arrest: ‘New low for outgoing govt’
Leader of Opposition Lazarus Chakwera has made a stinging attack on the Democrtaic Progressive Party (DPP0 government for the arrest of UTM youth director Bon Kalindo, describing the arrest as “new low for the outgoing Mutharika administration.
Chakwera says whether or not what the Mulanje west legislator said about Mutharika was an insult is not an issue.
“The issue is that this idea of arresting any Malawian, not to say anything of one who is a parliamentarian, for merely expressing how they feel about the illogical conduct of Mutharika’s failed government, is primitive, unacceptable and stupid,” says the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president in a statement.
Chakwera says infact, whatever unjust law is cited to empower such a ludicrous idea is primitive, unacceptable and stupid, saying once voted into power, the MCP led government would repeal it.
“In the meantime, the sad reality is that the Mutharika government has no respect for Malawians, or their lawmakers, or police officers. You may recall that it was 23 months ago that an MCP member of parliament was arrested over trumped up sedition charges related to something allegedly said on social media,” says Chakwera.
He says given how long the Mutharika government has been using the arbitrary arrests to silence and intimidate political opponents, it is clear that the powers of the president continue to be abused, saying democratic rights of people are still under assault.
“And now having turned Malawi into a lawless state in which those who speak their minds are arrested while those who steal our taxes walk free, every Malawian can see with their own eyes that Mutharika has never been fit to govern,” says the statement.
Chakwera then condemned the arrest of Kalindo and called for his immediate release.
Eastern region police spokesperson Joseph Sauka says Kalindo is expected to appear in court this afternoon.
Police last evening took Kalindo to Zomba after the law enforcers barred party supporters from holding a vigil at Area 30, the police headquarters in Lilongwe.
Police were elusive on the matter but UTM spokesperson Joseph Chidanti Malunga confirmed that Kalindo is now in Zomba awaiting appearance in court.
“He has been taken to Zomba. Our legal team have confirmed this. The police say Honourable Kalindo allegedly committed the crime in Balaka and he would be tried in Zomba,” said Malunga.
The Mulanje west legislator has since been charged with disorderly conduct at a police station and insulting the president.
Police spokesperson James Kadadzera said Kalindo, a veteran actor has been charged with disorderly conduct at a police station contrary to section 153 (1) of the police Act as well as insulting the head of state which violates Section 4 of the Protected Flag, Emblems and Names Act.
According to one of the video clips circulating in social media, Kalindo led the chants Mutharika wapenga misala [Mutharika is demented].
But Chidanti Malunga described the arrest as politically motivated aimed at silencing the ever popular Saulos Chilima and his UTM.
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Well said the permanent leader of opposition. The political prophecy about you Chakwera is that you will never win any election in Malawi.
zilimbanilanani utsogoleri wotsutsa ndi Chilima chifukwa APM is wining this election.
Which election u talking about!? 😱👀
Spot on Chakwera. Stupid is a word to discribe all those boneheads
Surely we need a strong opposition to dislodge the DPP. In this case if Chilima and Chakwera can unite and make one front, DPP will be completely trodden and forgotten.
Chakwera and Chilima should team up and run on a joint ticket in the forthcoming elections. Otherwise the opposition should forget dislodging the DPP from power if their parties go solo.
Chakwera as presidential candidate and Chilima pakaliyala kachiwiri or Chilima as presidential candidate and Chakwera motivated by the VEEP retirement package as wapakaliyala….kkkkkkk
When the leader of opposition becomes a leader,
his thinking will change. He will start thinking as leader. He, a few days ago,failed to tolerate the foolish comments of Chilima. Has he forgotten already. The party he is trying to defend- MCP is known as a party of evil then why is he pretending to be a good person?
Thats the Chakwera i know alwalyz want to gain cheap popularity on stupid issues .Thats why Kamulepo has told you forget about winning elections in Malawi.Unless you start seeing issues in Positive manner mwina zizayenda.
There are a number of fools condemning Chakwera here. The same fools blame the MCP government over similar arrests in the 70s and 80s. You blame Chakwera for not repealing the laws. Is Chakwera government? Why didn’t Bakili repeal it? Inu a dpp you behave like football hooligans. You must learn to criticise when things go wrong. Are you happy that Alamu Pumani Mwakalamba stole K145 million? If that is the way dpp terrorists think then Malawi will not develop. Good thing is that Pitala has less than 10 years to live. Ndi nkhalamba iyi and that is a fact.
Hahahaha you speak like a fool. Noone knows someone will keep living, God alone. Who knows maybe you have less than two years, or two months, or two weeks, or even two days yourself to live? Don’t predict doom as doom may be coming your way.
Just a couple of rebuttal points:
– So, who was responsible for the arrests and torture in the “70s and 80s”, if not your wamuyaya Kamuzu and MCP? Who was responsible?
– Government or the Opposition can change the laws, but only thru Parliament. This happens all the time. So, stop your nonsense talk, and dangerously censorious argument.
We, independents (read not DPPers) do not support corruption; in fact we despise it for all its evils. And we do criticize, vehemently too.
Not wise to conflate disparate issues, as the arguments fail, almost always.
Fake American accent Pastor Lazarus Chakwera displays acts of uncouthedness. In an attempt to appear as a strong EMUSIPI leader ends up talking the language of a foul-mouthed regional governor or even motor-mouth Akweni. What values did he gain from the unregistered Bible schools where he grew up?
The more one reads some of the comments supporting political arrests being conducted by the DPP, the more one concludes that there are a lot of kids posting comments on Nyasatimes. Anybody who is old enough to have seen the dictatorship on the one party states where police were used as a tool to harass, detain and murder opponents of the ruling party would not clap for such conduct in a democracy.
All mature democracies have freedom of expression and opinion at their core, leaders are not meant to be shielded from insults of the citizens. If such laws existed in Europe, America, or even South Africa, thousands of citizens, journalists etc… would have to be detained on a daily basis for “insulting’ the leader.
Sometimes, just sometimes, learn to look at the bigger picture and put country first.
You are a fool Mr BigMan. Insults are not acceptable anywhere. Do you like to be insulted yourself? Its unlawful to insult even a common useless uneducated local man like you. What happens when you insult even a TA or even village head man in your village? Lean to argue with fact and figures only not insults and fists. That’s not democracy. The reasons g in your comment shows that you could be uneducated and probably you are a Minibus caller boy.
I’m very much disappointed in Chakwera, please siyani kugwiritsa ntchino kuti reverend, simukukwanila. Eish ndale zimasinthadi anthu eti, kuchoka pa ubusa kufika pa matuvi.
The police in this country never do their job. They are more often than not told what to do as in this case. You never change laws willy nilly. Circumstances force the change. That said, Chakwera is spot on.
Why insult the president let him rot there.Government should tolarate these Savages .
ochakwera you have been a leader of opposition for over 4 years, if the law is bad why you never repealed it? Lawlessness should never be accepted in this country. we are governed by our own Laws….bad laws should be changed thus the duty of august house. Let the kid Kalindo dance to the tune, uyu ndiye akalowa ndithu. Why cause havok ku police like that, why not let police do their job?
You don’t know what it means to be a politician. Public figures are subject to insult let alone the president
It is a shame to note that Chakwera who has spent many years on the pulpit should see nothing wrong in What Kalindo did. Are you sure Reverend there is nothing wrong in what he did. Mind you instead of scoring a political point, you are loosing it. What type of a leader will you be. People sue each other for character assassination, and you can’t find wrong with Kalindo. No wonderGod will not give you a chance to rule the nation. Chilima was right, you will retire on being leader of opposition.
@Favour of Yahweh, You will be surprised come May,21.
A President athu ndiyenso okonda kuchita INSULT anthu. He always calls his political opponents ” Zitsilu zomwa madzi ometera ndebvu”. That’s an insult of the highest order.
Inunso a President ndinu Chidzete chomwa madzi ometera MAVU…ZIkomo!
oChakwera – opportunist inu.
You are all over the map, accusing APM personally, and his government of being unfit to govern this country … for a ton of bricks reasons.
But aren’t Police only following the law to the letter, and without favor?
If you and your not-to-govern-soon MCP were genuine about your concerns, then you could have pushed to change the legislation in Parliament, over the past four years. Instead, you are simply proud to show off your cynical smile. That simply won’t cut it with the voting public – a Malawi anachenjera.
And talk about democracy: how many prominent MCPers have been pushed out of the Party, at your urging, Sir? I mean since your reign, and the buying of MCP by the Mias.
If Chakwera was a law abiding citizen, how come that he dismiss es every member from his party With dissenting views? I-e Jesse Kabwila, Kaliwo, Jumbe just to mention afew! If he was in government what would have happened to them?
What happened to Unity Loyalty, Obedience, and Discipline?
Reverend, please do not join the band wagon of those that do not obey our Laws.
A leader has to be exemplary, by both deed and words.
Who is Mutharika? Synonymous with the president of Malawi. Is the president of Malawi Mutharika or Peter Mutharika. Is there one Mutharika in Malawi.
Koma zikuchitikazi ndizolongosoka kuchoka ku boma, tinene kuti mitu ikuyenda bwino bwino ku bomaku a Malawi? Ili ndifunsotu osati comment muyankhe a Malawi.
Eeeeh zilibwino. We can’t tolerate lawlessness to prevail. Insulting the president is a crime anywhere in the world. Ufufuze pa Google. Even insulting you (as a common man) is also a crime. Or kumudzi sungatukwane a nyakwawa, a TA, a Paramount osakuyimba mlandu. Kapena kwanuko mumatero?
well spoken big man time yonyengelera yatha
This is what we expect from opposition parties , to fight the same battle and get United. And please don’t fight each other you in opposition.
On that note , I salute you Dr Chakwera for being brave enough and condemning the intimidation tactics used by Dausi & Mchacha.
With arrest or no arrest backwards never but forward ever.
Let’s change this malpractice administration.
Whether its primitive or not, the fact of the matter is that it is in our book and has to be respected.period..nobody is above the law..
Koma achakwera akanakala iwowo wotukwanidwa choncho akapanga bwanji.how do u support muntu wotukwana
Well said Reverend.
The President of MCP is a true bonifide leader despite Chilima insulting the president of MCP but look he is on air condemning the arrest of Bon Kalindo MP while Chilima is silent fearing that he can also be arrested since he was told to shut up or face arrest at Balaka Police. This is the type of leader we need in M,alawi my president Dr Laz keep up the good work the country is in your hand to lead. You were chosen by God Himself.
IG wa milandu ya Chasowa was confirmed by Kalindo, Kaliati, Chidanti, Willet Kalonga, Masangwi, Chibingu etc. Lero nzimenezo. Mwanyoza Chakwera dzana lomweli. We need Chakwera in Malawi not otopa wakubayu.
Muthalika must really be very STUPID this time around for using a draconian law that should have been repealed together with tha law on rogue and vagabond. Any president using archaic laws such as these is a coward.
ochakwera anuwo says the law is draconian, yet he has been in august house for over 4 years as leader of opposition, why he never repealled it if it is a bad law
@ Okatraz and friends, Don’t show ignorance here. Do you think it’s easy for opposition just to repeal laws in parliament when government isnot willing to do so? Mwaiwala kuti opposition imafuna kuti malamulo a chisankho asinthe koma boma lidakana? Do you think boma lingalole kusintha these draconian laws when they know that malamulo otere awafuna poyandikira chisankho?
boma silinakane koma the bill was not voted for in the august house. there was no time where the repeal of the said bad law was tabled in parliament.
So the Pastor is encouraging insults to the big office?