HRDC tells govt to involve Malawi parliament on curbs to life: Kumpalume backs lockdown
Rights activists, the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) have told government to involve parliament on the lockdown to thwart the spread of the coronavirus, saying failing which the State risks court action.
In a statement, HRDC chairperson Gift Trapence says the government should summon parliament to pass new legilsations to fight the virus pandemic.
“The available laws are inadequate to launch a lockdown in Malawi,” said Trapence.
His statement comes amid reports that three opposition legislators want to go to the courts to challenge the lockdown.
Trapence says the stimulus package to protect the economy is not there, saying this may lead to the collapse of the economy.
“Majority of Malawians are poor and live below poverty line. They can’t afford food on a daily basis and thus work to fend for themselves daily,” said Trapence.
He said if basic livelihood cannot be secured, a total lockdown is not practical.
Trapence contends that total lockdown should come with safety nets.
However, former Minister of Health Dr Peter Kumpalume supports the lockdown, saying there is no right or wrong in how the country can fight the outbreak.
“There is no better way. Just options. And all options are bad. A lockdown is bad. No lockdown is equally bad. The problem is we will not be able to compare which option is better as in this life experiment we would have tried just one option.
” If this option leads to anarchy the critics would say I told you so. If this option minimises infections the critics would say at what cost. If the other option was used and the numbers sky rocket the same critics would say this imbecile why did he not declare a lockdown. And this is the problem,” he argues.
He said when every option is seem with political eyes, they will always be bad.
Kumpalume said despite mixed feelings, Malawians agree that the country wants minimal infections.
“My opinion is if this is truly what we want, then a lockdown is the best option. If we want minimal numbers and a vibrant economy, then lets go to heaven. Here on earth it is difficult to square a circle,” he said.
Kumpalume some decisions are very difficult but they must be made.
“Good leaders make such decisions and own the consequences,” he said.
The country has 16 cases of coronavirus and has registered two deaths.
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Embicile refering to who????? Kkkkkkkkk kumpalume waunyatu kkkkkkk
Kumpalume must read Data Shows India Lockdown not working ….It has stretched resources which might have been used to conduct more testing ,set up clinics etc …Instead these resources are going towards buying food for the poor …
.He can also read Why Lockdowns are not the Answer in Africa ….BBC in which experts draw their lessons from tackling the Ebola crisis in Liberia ….where instead of cases going down after a military lockdown …they increased….Only to go down when they engaged the communities who provided solutions ….After all this we will have ma
The conclusion is that fighting pandemics on the African Continent can not apply the same Strategies as in Western Countries rather Africa must learn from it’s experience in fighting Ebola and HIV ..
..Solutions must be localised ….Africa strength lies in having only 2 percent of it’s population order than 65 yrs….Weakness is Poverty ….Which might cause more Deaths by the Time these Lockdowns are over ….More job losses ,no money ,hunger and malnutrition and more Deaths
Lock down is good but with bail out packages. My question is why has the government not subsidised water and electricity bills? It seems life is favouring the rich. For example will the poor people be able to access the 12BMK that has been given to the banks? Or it is for the betterment of the rich?
Taking the issue of lockdown to parliament cholinga mulowetsepo ndale. Anthu a opposition simukalowa kumwamba. Zoona ife tikhale pa chiopsezo chifukwa choti mukufuna kulowa mmboma??
mukalowa ndinu afitinu
yaaa tsopano Kumpalume another former Idiot health minister.
Useless man
Why is kumpalume not a minister of health?
Moyo wa munthu akaukambilane ku nyumba ya malamulo zauchitsirutu zimenezi . Nyumba ya malamulo ndi kachiyani kuyelekeza ndi moyo wa munthu zauchitsiru zanuzo mudzipanga ndi ana anu ndi akazi ku nyumba kwanu osati wina aliyense
Well said Kumpalume, but does your President take responsibilities or pushes them to the opposition? That is a big problem. When things go wrong who should take the responsibility when this old man only expects to be praised like Kamuzu Banda?
Bravo Peter Kumpalume!! Auzitseni anthu okhalira kumangotsutsa chiri chonsewa! Aesa khothi nkosewererako eti???
I like kumpalume: ‘…the critics will say this imbecile why did he not declare a lockdown!’ True. Mr. Mutharika is an imbecile. I agree with kumpalume.