Mpinganjira faults Malawi CSOs on JB resignation call, Black Monday
Minister of Information and Civic Education, Brown Mpinganjira has trashed calls by the civil society organisations (CSOs) operating under the resuscitated Grand Coalition calling President Joyce Banda to resign and pave for an interim government if the State fails to conduct a fast-tack trial on suspects involved in the looting of public resource dubbed cash-gate scam.
Mpinganjira, who is also government spokesperson told a local radio on Monday that the call by the CSO’s were “unreasonable” and “unconstitutional.”
He said the constitution does not provide for an interim government, saying the country was heading to conduct elections in May next year.
“The civil society should take note of the progress in the addressing the cashgate scandal,” he said, pointing out that so far over 40 people, including members of the governing People’s Party have been arrested and the accounts of 60 companies dealing with the government have been frozen.
Mpinganjira said the demands by CSOs are in bad faith and call for its removal was tantamount to a coup.
Mpinganjira said the Joyce Banda administration will not take any action against the CSOs because it trusts in the maturity of Malawians whom, he said, would see the senselessness in their statement
He accused leaders of the CSOs of using an inflammatory and threatening tone in their statement, adding that government has taken a reconciliatory approach which he said must never be mistaken for weakness.
University of Malawi political analysts Mustapha Hussein and Blessings Chinsinga have also dismissed the calls by CSOs as “unreasonable” for President Banda to stand down and the establishment of an interim government, saying the country is due to hold elections in less than 7 months time.
In their demands, the CSOs want government to investigate and prosecute suspects involved in the looting between July and September 2013 by end of November.
Chairperson of the Council for Non-governmental Organisations (Congoma) Voice Mhone said activists have proposed — in coordination with other 13 high-profile civil society organisations — calling a ‘Black Monday’ when Malawians will dress in black every Monday to symbolise the death of the public purse after being looted by thieves.
Some of the activist were also a planning massive demonstrations including at the airport during the President’s Banda arrival into the country from United Arab Emirates.
The communiqué dated November 7 2013, has been issued by the CSOs: Congoma; the Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (MCCCI); the Malawi Congress of Trade Unions (MCTU); the Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR); the Centre for Development of People (Cedep); the Civil Society Education Coalition (CSEC); the Malawi Economic Justice Network (Mejn); the Human Rights Consultative Committee (HRCC); the Civil Society Agriculture Network (Cisanet); the Malawi Electoral Support Network (Mesn); the Livingstonia CCAP Synod Church and Society; Cama and the Coordination Unit for the Rehabilitation of the Environment (CURE).
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