CSOs accuse Mutharika of attention-diverting tactics on Malawi woes
Malawi President Peter Mutharika has been accused of applying attention-diversion tactics from real issues affecting the nation.
The human rights campaigners accuse Mutharika of using homosexuality and abortion issues as a tactic to divert the attention of Malawi from the endemic problems confronting the impoverished southern African country.
The activists, who included Timothy Mtambo of Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR), Gift Trapence of Centre for Development of the People (Cedep), Father Martin Kalimbe of the Anglican Church and John Phiri, a human rights lawyer, made the accusation at a news conference
The human rights campaigners called for the news conference in Zomba to respond to the President’s comments on homosexuality .
They accuse Mutharika of making ill-considered and extemporaneous statements.
During a Talk to the President programme aired on Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC radio and TV) last week, Mutharika said the issues should be decided by Malawians suggesting he was for a referendum. He later told MBC that that he spoke in his personal capacity.
Critics have also accused Mutharika and his government of having an obsession with homosexuality.
In his comments, Trapence accused President Mutharika of trying to divert Malawians’ attention on problems affecting the country such as hunger, shortage of forex and other economic problems by commenting on homosexuality.
“The government’s obsession with this homosexuality is a tactic to divert people’s attention from the endemic problems confronting the nation,” he said.
He said everyday poverty is on the increase and people’s standard of living and earning capacities are on the decline in Malawi.
On his part, Mtambo wondered why there is a tendency of propagating a populist agenda when a country is having economic problems.
He further wondered how Malawians could make a distinction between a President as a person and as a leader of the country.
“In fact, that programme was about the President of a country not as an individual. As such, he was speaking as a President,” he said.
Others argue that government is using moral reasons to criminalise homosexuality while ignoring prostitution.
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Trapence, surely you are the one who is obsessed with anal sex between two men and muff diving between women. You write about it every week in the newspaper, basically your NGO is a full fledged gay club.
kkkkkk ife mafumu wathutu ndi pulofesa yemweyu. Tonse takonzekera vote yathu mu 2019 ndi ya Pulofeesa Mutharika. Mumvatu m’bebe nangatu ife atilamulira basi kkkkk. Za ugay zanuzo kwanukonko. Ife tifuna wotipulumusayu.. APM yemweyutu basi. Asaaa, anthu osayamika inu.
I think it is stupid to keep on thinking that Malawians can be diverted from talking and discussing the strugles they are going through.
Koma ndiye mumva kuwawa mpaka 2050 coz DPP ikulamulirabe mu zaka zonsezi……..
They have hit the nail on the head. Sadly, most people seem not to be noticing it. And that’s exactly the point of these tactics. How often do they talk about the economy or even their own economic programs such as housing subsidy? But the moment they mention sexuality, prostitution, abortion or homosexuality the media and public’s interest is inflammable. It’s nothing new of course, it is a well-worn tactic of populists and demagogues all over the world to distract the public with ‘controversial’ issues. Meanwhile, the economy that actually affects the every-day man or woman’s livelihood can be mis-managed… Read more »
Azibambo kuikana kumbuyo sikunayambile lero abale,nthawi ya Loti zinali mu fashion mpakana amkafuna kuti apange angelo ndipo mkwiyo wamulungu unakulilakulila pa sodomu ndi gomola. Kuikana kumbuyo ndi choice chawo asiyeni pakuti mulungu kunjakuno alipo ndipo adzaweluza yekha musamukhalile pa mpando ayi. amayi kugwilana maliseche okha okha ndi tchimo chimodzimodzi kuba,miseche,kusowa chikondi ndi tchimo lina lililonse.Ndinu amalawi angati amene muli oyela pamaso pa Yehova? Timamuchimwila mulungu tonse munjila zosiyanasiyana,ndiye tisaweluze amzathu poti naye Yehova ndi mulingo omwewo adzati weluzila. Mwina a fazalawo akanadandaula kuti a Malawi tikuchimwila ambuye tisinthe without specifying then ndikanamva poti palibe tchimo labwinoko pamaso pa a mbuye.… Read more »
Brazilian wax, APM whether dull or not, ufune usafune akulamulira mpaka 2019 then another 5yrs kenako Amfana Chilima naye zake 10, iwe ukudikira a claver and intelligent pulezident, ndiye umvatu kuwawa coz uwl need t wait kkkk
What a dull president can speak an individual’s opinion, when he is actually speaking to the general public!
Zonsezi chifukwa cha Mbendera, anatilakwura galu ameneyu.
Pulofesa wa Cypruss University of texas yu ndi madeya eni eni.
He is a complete loser.
Kungoti achina trapence awa ngovuta kuwamvetsa. Iwowo tikamati akugwira ntchito amakhala akunena za mathanyula. Pano nde akuti HE is diverting people’s attention? Akufuna atiuze chani makamaka?