Malawi govt accused of scaremongering: Ngwira says federalism is not war 

President Peter Mutharika has been criticised for dispatching his aide Symon Vuwa Kaunda to palm oil chiefs in the northern region and do scaremongering against federalism calls, claiming if allowed  it will trigger civil war.

Among those petitioning for the  North Malawi to be a standalone state or federal system of government is People’s Party (PP) provincial chairperson Reverend Christopher Mzomera Ngwira.

He has accused government of “blatant scaremongering” and using misleading statements to chiefs to campaign against North to become a standalone entity like South Sudan.

Vuwa Kaunda has been meeting chiefs in the north in what he says are “consultations” on federalism and secession debate.

Kaunda said he is on a mission delegated by President Mutharika and of course , giving handouts to chiefs to speak against the federism.

Also targeted are religious leaders in the north.

But Ngwira said the north’s destiny is with the people in the region and not “selfish leaders” who he said  are “getting positions and millions of taxpayers’ kwacha” in countering the emerging calls for federalism and secession.

Ngwira stressed that it is  well documented that the North has long been sidelined, deceived and taken for a ride.”

He dismissed “scaremongering” tactics that federism or secession will spark civil war.

“The north has highest literacy rate and the people cannot be hoodwinked with the scaremongering. When multiparty democracy campaign emerged it was the same scaremongering that multiparty would spark war,” he pointed out.

Ngwira said all the chiefs who have spoken against North Malawi independence are saying so under the influence of “money being distributed.”

He said: “ DPP [Democratic Progressive Party] is using the same old mistake of abusing chiefs to speak against the voices and wishes of their people.”