Malawi govt tells Chakwera to report candidate’s ‘threat to life’ to Police not donors
The governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has accused leader of opposition Lazarous Chakwera for writing the foreign missions on alleged threats to life of Malawi Congress Party (MCP) candidate for Nsanje Lalanje Constituency parliamentary by-elections slated for October 17, Lawrence Sitolo.
Chakwera wrote a letter copied to US embassy, Germany, European Union, British High Commission and the United Nations to report that Sitolo is living dangerously as DPP gurus are baying for his blood.
But DPP responded at a news conference which they addressed at Central Office of Information in Lilongwe, saying Chakwera should have reported the matter to “right institutions” such as Malawi Electoral Commission and Police and not donors.
“If MCP has evidence that their candidate is receiving threats, let them go and report to police,” government spokesman Nicholous Dausi said.
He said the “responsible agency” for handling cases of threats is the police not donors.
Dausi said MCP is “trying to drag members of the diplomatic community into partisan politics.”
Dausi said Chakwera had failed to report the alleged malpractices to constitutional institutions such as Malawi Police Service, Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) and Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), arguing this indicated his aim was simply to damage the relationship between donors and government.
“The fact that MCP has avoided all these relevant institutions attests to our position that the allegations they are making are a sympathy-seeking stunt, having already known they will lose as expected,” he said.
“We have constitutionally created bodies like the police which are responsible for probing crime and bribery, the Malawi Electoral Commission mandated to run any (by) elections.
“Any grievances affecting electoral matters should be reported to these bodies or the courts of law,” he explained.
The government spokesperson said Chakwera made the unsubstantiated allegation without checking and making proper analytical decisions.
He said what is even more worrisome is that Chakwera being an opposition party president, made the allegations to the donor community over a ‘mere’ partisan candidate in a by-election.
“This is just a by-election in a single constituency and what could have happened if it was a general election? And (the candidate in question) is someone not even recognized nor (has never been) a member of parliament.
“Chakwera is just trying to buy sympathy and by going to the donor community, Chakwera is expressing his ignorance on diplomatic institutions. When you are desperate into getting into government, this is the result; you do not go through the right channels,” said Dausi.
DPP spokesman Francis Kasaila accused MCP of using “desperate” measures.
In his letter, Chakwera says DPP top brass are persuading Sitolo to receive K100 million and withdraw his MCP membership then contest as an independent candidate or even withdraw from the race altogether to get a diplomatic posting with cash makeweight of K50 million.
He has also been offered to receive an MP’s salary and relate benefits from government if he does not contest.
Chakwera alleges in the letter that Sitolo is receiving phone calls from DPP operatives including Leston Mulli and Noel Masangwi “people who have allegedly been mentioned in some heinous acts like the death of Polytechnic student Robert Chasowa.”
The leader of opposition also informs the international community that Sitolo has also received calls from DPP regional governor for the south, Charles Mchacha and strongman Kondwani Nankhumwa (Minister and Leader of government business in parliament].
“Hon. Sitolo has recordings of the phone conversations with these people,” said Chakwera in the letter.
When contacted for comment, the mentioned DPP officials denied the allegations.
MCP deputy secretary general Eisenhower Mkaka said police and MEC are compromised which can not be helpful, indicating that DPP has a history of abductions and killings.
Mkaka said there is an issue if regime thugs violence at MCP rally in Mzuzu and police are yet to conclude the matter and a plot to set MCP headquarters on fir.
“We have no confidence in them. We have written donors because a diplomatic note is a standard practice anywhere in the world, there is nothing abnormal about it,” said Mkaka.
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What reply did Chakwera receive from the donors? Any silence from the donors means they have rubbished his plea as nonsense. Let us wait for the reply. Akungolira zirizonse akuluwa. MK1000000?
That’s the cry of the Country too. There is no Malawi Police but DPP police. The rest of us we have no choice but report to people who can help us.
By the way what’s the Address or email for these Embassies. I think each and every Malawian feeling that pain need to have it.
I wish there was REFORM IN PRACTICE.
POLICE TO BE INDEPENDENT.
Dausi, Do you think MCP can get help from a partisan police service? Stupid cunt!!!
The diplomatic community is also depending on the same police to provide security in their respective residences, ndie wina akukapanga report Kwa awowo amend nawo akufuna security…isn’t it fallacious? Ndie ma donors akamva atani? Acitepo chani? Ndipo angapangepo chani? Tadzalowani m’boma mudzathetse police inuyo internal security yanu azidzapanga ma donors? Educated fools,did you pronounce it like that one other day? You should be among them!
Which Police, a Dausi many of you guys are reportedly involved in Njauju killing, why do you think you are not arrested till today?
How can he report to the police? The agents of most crimes happening in Malawi. What have they done to bring the killers of Ngaunje to book? Chasowa? The list is endless. The ACB is equally compromised. MEC was MEC when during those old day and not now. They are compromised. Look at the way they handled Lilongwe elections issue. NO, we are a hopeless country with thugs at the helm. Thats why while we are moving backwards. People still walking bare footed, shirtless, pantless: a banana republic.
Which government is Dausi talking about? They can not even allow or investgate murder of Chasowa and Nyaunji? They send cadets to harassy opposition? They shield corrupted DDP. This rotten givernment which driving Malawi to dictatorship. Dausi your days are numbered. No Malawians dont trust DDP. There is no constution. The worst government in history of Malawi.
Which police Mr. Dausi under your dirty dpp?
Which Police? MCP supporters were also harrased in Chiradzulu in full view of police. What did they do? How many times have they arrested opposition members on trumped up charges? When DPP complains Police acts swiftly, when opposition complains they only say we are looking into the matter. No action is taken. DPP we are watching, you are not gods. You shall need the same Police to protect you!!!
Chakwera is 100% right to report the matter to the International Community because our police men are there to shield any DPP offender. If the matter was reported to the police, the only language that we could have heard was that “we are investigating the matter” that is all.