HRDC call for Malawi ‘lockdown’ amid Covid rising cases, death toll: ‘Close schools, borders’

Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) has called for complete lockdown to curb the rising cases of Covid-19 in the country.

Trapence: Calls for schools to close

This follows the death of two powerful cabinet ministers; Sidik Mia and Lingson Belekanyama yesterday due to the virus pandemic.

In a statement, signed by HRDC Chairperson Gift Trapence and  National Coordinator Luke Tembo says the rights activists are calling for more extraordinary measures for the country to deal away with the pandemic.

HRDC has further proposed that  schools be closed  immediately, seal borders at the entry points into the country and airports and only allow essential goods to pass through in order to minimize further spread of the virus.

“We need to scale up the social cash transfers and any other  strategy that is at our disposal, “said HRDC.

This however is in contrary to what HRDC has been doing by challenging lockdowns that have been effected before.

Last year, HRDC and other groupings successfully challenged a 21 day national lockdown that former president Peter Mutharika imposed.

The grouping had argued that it felt that government had not clearly outlined cushioning measures for low income earners.

But now HRDC said in a statement: “Time has come for Malawians to divorce politics from Covid-19.

“We need every Malawian to pull in the same direction. We implore Malawians to diligently protect themselves and others from contracting this deadly virus.”

Over the last two weeks, there has been a general rise in new infections and deaths and the total confirmed cases are now slightly near 10 thousand.

However, President Lazarus Chakwera on Tuesday challenged Malawians to exercise Covid-19 measures and said he was consulting on more stricter measures, including a possibility of declaring a ‘State of Emergency’ where the military and police will enforce a curfew.

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Plandemic
Plandemic
3 years ago

Dziko lokutha kale ndi njala, matenda a Hiv, tb, dirty unclean water, corrupt officials, no medicine and equipment in hospitals. Economy yoti even gawd himself cant fix. You want to force lock down. You want anthu oti akufa kale to continue dying and starving over a fake pseudo virus. People will die just from breathing their own VOMIT IN THE MASK. God made you to breath oxygen and here you are locking down as if mukagula ma coffin when people start dropping like leaves. Why dont you fake busas and fake ministers take a leaf out of Mwagafuli, out of… Read more »

Tachiko
Tachiko
3 years ago

Tsekani nsanga school Ana athu asanalipile fees kma ma church okha musiye… Mwina mufuna tilipile fees then mutseke school pozatsekulaso tizalipileso fees Ina.. Zimatiwawa amalawi enafe tikamabetsa fees chonchi kulingati kuthila madzi mu nyanja

Castello
Castello
3 years ago

Hrdc chairman gift trapence is the most stupid of all since he is the one who obtained the injunction. Has he opened his eyes now bcz the late minister is from lower shire? When did he go back to court to revoke his stupid injunction?

Bamus Morris
Bamus Morris
3 years ago

Very unfortunate….Not very same people who block the then government from implementing the lockdown …what is it now that they want it….. shame

Tachiko
Tachiko
3 years ago
Reply to  Bamus Morris

Very big shame shame shame shame shame 😂😂😂 ayiwala zakale mmalawi akafuna kulemela amaiwala zakale that’s what HRDC members do

Kagwa
Kagwa
3 years ago

I wonder why schools and sometimes churches are always the first things to be mentioned in terms of closures not bars and markets where people also meet in large numbers. I am believe that this Covid is an evil creation from darkness kingdom aiming at killing moral as well as educational values of societies.

Thumbs up Owen Khamula, you have written a well balanced and objective article in terms of the workings of HRDC. I would wish to know if all arrangements to help poor people are in order before the lockdown which Trapence is proposing.

Franklin's Justice
Franklin's Justice
3 years ago

President is suppose to take the decision on Closures of Schools as our President is Just Running Around like Headless Chicken and Fasting
Will Fasting Reduce the Death or Cases of COVID in Malawi
We do not understand what Chakwera wants to prove by 21 Days Fasting Chakwera is just playing around with Poor Malawians Minds

AnzeruNdife
AnzeruNdife
3 years ago

Don’t just rush to force a lock-down. Don’t forget the arguments that you made when you sought and we’re granted an injunction on the same last year. Most Malawians are still amongst poorest in the world, living on hand to mouth, day-to-day basis. Most of us cannot even afford basic necessities especially with the slow down of the economy during the ‘pandemic’. If there is to be a lock-down, it will just worsen things. In fact, it will be worse for most Malawians than covid itself. We managed to reduce the figures of the initial wave to almost zero, we… Read more »

Mozie Jimmy a.k.a expert wa apumbwa
Mozie Jimmy a.k.a expert wa apumbwa
3 years ago

Idiots!!! Adadi once sudgested about it b4 madzi mumkhosi but munali patsogolo bzy ma injunctions with that idiot judge Kenyata now muli ng’wi ng’wi ng’wi!! Idiots

Nyoni
Nyoni
3 years ago

Zitsilu, u went to Kenyata unite da to get an injunction, pano Mwaphetsa anthu now u want corona to be taken serious?? Inu mbuzi eti!!

Bushman Chiphwafu
3 years ago

Closing school is not the solution.
Ana amenewoso azikazazana ku msika.
I think ku school is safer than home

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