CSO’s want vigil at airport against ‘above the law’ Chaponda: Suspended minister bulldozes court order to perform ministerial duties in Germany
Human rights activist Allie Mwachande with backing from fellow Human Rights Defenders (HRD) including the vocal Gift Trapence who is also Executive Director for Centre for Development for People (CEDEP) plans
to mobilize Malawians of good will to hold Vigil at the airport on the day suspended Malawi Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Dr. George Chaponda returns home from Germany.
Chaponda disobeyed court order restraining him from discharging his duties as Cabinet Minister until 31st January 2017 when the Mzuzu High Court is expected to make a ruling on government’s appeal through Attorney General Kalekeni Kaphale asking the court to vacate the injunction CSO’s obtained led by Charles Kajoloweka about two weeks ago.
In the first place, the CSO’s called for Chaponda’s resignation or firing by President Peter Mutharika and upon refusal by the two, they obtained an injunction which was granted by Justice John Chirwa at High Court.
The move was aimed at paving way for smooth investigations in the K23 Billion Maizegate scandal Chaponda is implicated.
In an exclusive interview with Nyasa Times on Saturday, activist Mwachande said what Chaponda did was total disrespect not
only to the law of Malawi and Judicial System but also underrating all Malawians.
“What I see is that Honourable Chaponda is taking Malawians for granted; he thinks he is untouchable and he is above the Law. So what
I have suggested is that we mobilize ourselves [CSO’s] together with other concerned Malawians to be at the airport the day he will be returning.
“We want him to tell us upon arrival what he went to do in German because we have all the information that he went there and that he is
still discharging his duties as minister despite the court order.
“Laws have to be respected at all costs,” said Mwachande in a telephone interview while applauding the media for bringing to limelight
Chaponda’s German trip.
“It is high time Malawians rise up and hold these people accountable because they think they are our bosses and that they can play around with us. This is to do with the Law. Both the President and the minister took an oath to respect the constitution and we
dont understand what this administration is doing and heading to,”wondered Mwachande.
Mwachande cited former Health Minister Yusuf Mwawa’s arrest some years back while serving as minister as a good example of respecting the rule of law.
Commenting on the vigil, CEDEP Executive Director Trapence while backing the idea said no one can stop an individual from exercising
his or her freedom and human right as enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of Malawi.
“Any person has the right to freedom of expression and the right to demonstrate as long as that is done within the law. As such I am in total support with those who are mobilizing each other to go to the airport to fight against impunity that Dr. Chaponda has shown based on the media reports that he is still performing his duties as a Minister despite court order restraining him from doing such. As human rights organizations we are supporting such calls for a vigil at the Airport” Trapence told Nyasa Times through a Whatsapp message.
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Vigil imeneyi mukakhalako ndo amani !!! kkkkkk!!!
So after the vigil what next? Do you have the muscle to make Chaponda step down? Chaponda and his president are not dunderheads like most commentators here. They are prominent lawyers and know what they are doing. You are just making noise as they say that empty tins make a lot of noise. It is long time you started making these noises but there is no indication that you can weaken this DPP. Despite all the support from PAC, journalists, CSOs there is still no support from the ground that can give hope to the opposition that they can do better in 2019. Just a waste of time. Ovotafe tiri pheeee.
Let Chaponda continue to work for the benefits Malawians. He’s the man.
And good for him to ignore that Rental Court of Mzuzu; a Northern Court for Northerners.
As no sane unprejudiced judge, in this land, would make such a ruling. Not respecting, or plain ignorant about constitutional boundaries between the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary!
It’s like that Chirwa judge was making his own law, and interpreting it too. What the f… ?
And who would show up at the airport? Likely, only the Northern CSOs, which is almost all the Bwana’s detractors on this issue. More balanced and reasonable people will be driving away from whichever airport is targeted. Asa.
Now, it’s war.
I think we should position a sniper at the airport for this guy. Mob justice is needed here.
I have no respect for president/ govt that has no respect for the courts. This behaviour is fascism not democracy as i know it.
I have no respect for s govt that doesn’t respect the courts! !!!!
Vigil at both airports
He plans to use chileka
Kodi inu ma C S O which Malawians are you representing. Atumbuka inu you are representing your wives, concubines and mothers osati enafe musatinyanse (and your tummies). Even coMmission of enquiry the way things are moving have nothing will not fault Chaponda. If you have personal agendas or mwatumidwa ndi VP muyaluka.
Bravo Chaponda these guys are irritating me too. There are issues to deal with in this country osati za zii ngati izi. Ndinu mumafalitsa kuti eter wamwalira pano muli ndi Chaponda. Manyazinso mulibe you loons. It’s not an a secret kuti you are trying to impress your paymasters and doing a bad job too.
inever seen sleeping nation like my country Malawi oh again this big head minister again who calls him self as minister has violated court order again,inever seen a stupid presdent like this with his lomwenism he is destroying our beloved country.he rather die or go back to USA to stay there wth Trump
kodi gudo akadali 50 years old. zatsala 10 years kuti acite RETIRE
Chaponda could not have gone out on a Government mission without the blessing of the President. The President therefore has also violated the Law. Something is not right.
No one is above the law, even the president must defend the law. This Chaponda case is a constitutional crisis, it means dpp officials can break the law and our police can just sit and watch. It amazes me what logic or thinking goes around our presiden’t? I believe now Chaponda is more powerful than our president and is the one who is ruling this nation since 2014 and the arctect of 2014 vote rigging. My fellow Malawians, we have to be very careful this is the begining of a dictator. If this Chaponda forsakes High Court while the so called President is just watching then something is very wrong but let them ( Chaponda and Mutharika ) know they can do this to humans only because their brother Bingu failed and died infa yowawa through cardic arrest as Daniel Phiri(Kaliyati) because ankaona ngati anafikapo ndikumanzunzaso a Malawi. Awaso awa, cardiac arrest yatsala pang’ono ngati satana akukunamizani mufa infa yowawa.
Vigil should not be the only solution in this since the issue is legal in nature. The best should be to immediately go to court and start contempt of court proceedings against Chaponda. The report of him going out for official duties is now confirmed by secretary for agriculture, Erica Magannga, and its no longer just a rumour. Lawyers should simply forge ahead to file a case against him. What Chaponda has done is uncalled for. He may say he did nothing wrong on maize saga but he has now crossed path with the law by not obeying a court order. Failure to obey a court order having taken an oath as a minister to uphold the constitution is a betrayal of highest order and Chaponda should be arrested to that effect.
Fellow Malawians it’s either the Presidential Advisors intentionally mislead the President for their financial benefits or the President is fooling Malawians by choosing to be misled to accumulate wealth through advisors. All Presidential advisors are very pompous and feel like untouchables.
Its unfortunate that Malawi has a President that seems to be above the Law by virtue of personally having to take part in its drafting . And unfortunately by extension those surrounding him ; the likes of advisors, party gurus, some homeboy ministers and also the elite employed at State House also feel above the law . These privileged few are cashing in through corruption, abuse of authority, intimidation, theft, misinformation and pretex of acting on behalf of the President. For example let’s consider nepotism; a clear pattern comes out that organizations stifling with rampant corruption have relatives of those surrounding the President in prominent positions of authority . These include Escom, Admarc, Central Medical Stores Trust, Macra, MRA , the Water Boards and MHC. . Another clear feature coming out is that where those who want to cash in or help the President cash in; flaudulently bring into the organizations relatives who are incompetent and or above the mandatory retirement age (of 60 years) in public service so as to be easily used because such people are easy to compromise. Typical examples here are those known to be above retirement age the likes of Mr Mulunbe at Admarc; Dr Moses Chisale at Central Medical Stores Trust and not to forget Mr Mkondiwa at the helm of Civil Service ( a very useless Chief Secretary) and among the very incompetent are the likes of Mr Jimmy Fombe at CMST. To go further and this is plainly happening under the watch of the Minister of Health, Malawians should not be surprised to learn that CMST is one major institution sinking with corruption because the combination of Fombe and Chisale who belong to two different nepotistic and antagonistic camps.; is too lethal for the survival of CMST to benefit Malawi. These individuals were brought in under the watch and full knowledge of Mr Mkondiwa who wanted to protect his position by casting a blind eye and in the same vein also enrich himself. Any institutions with similar combinations and phenomena at play are sinking. Look at Admarc and Escom.
The patterns and abuses described above come as a result of “the homeboy- or above-the-law-personality syndromes in Government that are promoted by nepotism; mediocrity, abuse and intentional-misleading of the President. Opportunity has now come and the rot should therefore stop with Dr Chaponda if Malawi is to recover from the escalation of unconstituionalim. I pray that God should touch the souls of Malawians and especially the leaders so that we are all equal before the law.
The issue is not about tumbuka, can u balance up ur mind someone has wronged here,dont u see it?dont try to divert people ‘s attention.In my opinion this is a strange behaviour from a high ranked man and it really threatens the constitution of the land.Deal with him before his wings are fully grown.Pluck them off.A cruel man.Just a reminder its an issue for the nation and not a particular tribe as others have put it
#yapu trapensi simtumbuka samala pakamwa pakopo ungazapeze napo mavuto mwazolowera kutbela inu munya muwona #chimanga wanuyo azafkira muunyolo. kapresident kanuso kali mmaz lamulo ligwira ntchito
Tamaona. The writing is on de wall that nothing can stop Chaponda from discharging his duties as Agriculture Minister. Chaponda has no one to fear or respect in this country. So let’s wait and see.
Atumbuka muli ndi agenda yanu…inu bwanji kodi? Akadakhala mtubuka zani ayi..maudindo muboma mwapatsana nokha nokha abale samalano nawo awa..inde chaponda wapala koma anthuwa samalani nawo
Iwetu ndi chitsiru iwe
Yapu uli chindere chakufikapo. What is wrong with a tumbuka . Shut up !!!!
A tumbuka mulije nkhalo. Ndinu vindele vakufikapo
The Yale trained water who can’t know the importance of respecting the rule of law, my foot!