Mtambo says State House demos on: ‘We will not be intimidated’
Human rights activist and chairperson for the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) Timothy Mtambo has said the civil society organisations (CSOs) were now more determined than ever to hold demonstrations at the State House, saying they would not be intimidated by government threats or police brutality through arrests.
Mtambo said this Tuesday when handing himself at Police Headquarters in Lilongwe as he is on the list of HRDC top leaders to be arrested for planning to seal State Residences on March 25.
Two other leaders, Gift Trapence and McDonald Sembereka spent a second night in a police cell in Blantyre. They are accused of unlawfully mobilising people after they called for state residences to be shut down.
“If his idea was to scare us into submission then it has failed,” said Mtambo.
He said they will not be intimidated by the arrests.
“We will go to State House. We are not going to fight. It’s not war. We will proceed with our planned engagements,” he said.
President Mutharika on Sunday had warned HRDC to stop organising protests shortly before they were arrested.
“Nobody in this country is above the law. Mtambo cannot be bigger than the government. [Gift] Trapence, [MacDonald] Sembereka, and [Billy] Mayaya you are not bigger than the government. Get my word, your time is up, the party is over, go and smell the coffee,” said Mutharika said during a political rally.
HRDC said they will proceed with a sit-in on March 25 to pressure President Mutharika to sign an election reform bill passed by parliament.
Malawi’s parliament in February passed the electoral reforms bills, which paves the way for fresh elections after the constitutional court nullified the May polls.
The court cited massive irregularities in the vote, which saw Mutharika re-elected.
The electoral bills propose a date for fresh elections and procedures to follow in case of runoffs.
Malawi’s constitution gives the president 21 days to sign the bills into law. But, some activists, like the HRDC, and opposition parties worry Mutharika will drag out the process.
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Chitsiru cha munthu kufena kuphesa osalakwa. Ngati uli mwamuna umathawiranji. Tikukanyanga Chaka Chino. La 40 lakwana
Mtambo watsala pango’ono kuwona zomwe anawona Mayaya. Mutu umenewo tiphwanya uyelekeze zopusa zakozo iwe mtambo.
We will meet there – wamva iwe Mtambo, Trapence, Tembo, Mwenda, Sembereka. If you thought you are clever, chaka chake ndi chino. You will know how angry we are.
HRDC needs to be taught one big lesson.
HRDC isowe basi. Tatopa.
Kodi munthu kubisala wosapezeka, that means walephera ntchito yogwira munthuyo ndani? Big up COMRADE.
kkkk mwavomereza kuti anabisala?????????
Jipi tiye, Jipi tiye, tiyende pamoji ndi mtima umoji
hahahahahahahaha Jipi yomweyoooo
The wording in Mutharika’s speech is revealing. He first talks about being ‘above the law’. In the very next sentence he changes to above ‘government’. This reveals the very common mindset that the ‘big man’ government is above all. He seems to think the government is equal to the law. That’s a very corrupt way of thinking. The government is not the law. The government is just a way of people selecting to organise their country and society. It can be changed according to the will of the people who selected it. It is subject to the law and the… Read more »
Socrates you know these things and thus how things should be. Umbuli umatipha. They follow blindly.
The one who is supposed to be in the cooler is Jane and her team amene anaphwanya malamulo oyendetsera zisankho period. Leave the voice of the people alone. The voice of Malawians. Instead police you should lock up Jane now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lock Mtambo and all HRDC leaders up.
Ma emotions ngati awa sakuthandizani but you will simply finish yourselves. Tikuonerani ndi nkhwizi zanuzo. Time is up, DPP game down. No one will allow DPP to enslave this country again. Freedom is coming…