Chinsinga says peaceful protests signal ‘maturity’ of Malawi democracy

University of Malawi’s Chancellor College Political Professor Blessings Chinsinga has hailed the Civil Society Organizations (CSO’s) for holding peaceful demonstrations which he says symbolizes the maturity of Malawi’s democracy.

He has also applauded the Malawi government for letting the people exercise their constitutional right.

Chinsinga said it is good that the demonstrations took place though it will have little impact due to low turn up.

“The impact is quiet limited because it is not many people who took part; this is good because as a country we are maturing in democracy” said Chinsinga.

Chinsinga has since appealed to the government to open room for dialogue with the CSO’s in order to solve the people’s concerns amicably.

CSO leader led  scores of Malawians across the country’s major cities including Karonga in holding peaceful demonstrations where they also submitted petitions to government through respective City Council Offices though they which were slowed down due to heavy rains.

The protestors delivered a 100-day ultimatum to government calling for financial and electoral reforms.

Protesters also demanded the return of K5 million donated by the National Aids Commission to first lady Gertrude Mutharika’s charity organisation, Beautify Malawi (Beam).

Beam has no connection with the issue of HIV and Aids, and the donation is seen as a handout to the president’s wife.

“We have given them a hundred days to respond to our petition. We have asked Beam to return the money to the National Aids Commission within three weeks,” one of the protest organisers, Gift Trapence, who is the executive director for the Centre of the Development of People, said.

Civil society organisations are also demanding the speedy implementation of electoral laws that would require the elected president to get more than 50% of the votes cast, said Trapence.

The petition also raised other issues including the slow pace slow pace of (K92 billion and K13 billion) cash-gate cases and divided interests, women empowerment, civil Servants salary increments undermining the principle of equity, shortage of drugs and poor health service delivery and poor Delivery of Social Services.

They have since warned that unspecified action will be taken if government does not imply.