Mutharika spokesman says Malawi President ‘will not resign’ despite calls from CSOs

President Peter Mutharika’s spokesman Gerald Viola has said the Malawi leader ‘will not resign’ despite calls from Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), activists and human rights defenders.

Viola said Mutharika is determined to remain in power until he finishes his term when elections will be held and he will contest for re-election and rejects CSO’s demand for his immediate departure at State House.

He said Mutharika will not resign and counter attacked the CSO’s, saying they are inciting regime change.

Viola said the CSO’s should form a political party to contest for election in 2019 than being in civil society.

“He [Mutharika] was mandated and elected by majority of Malawians (36 percent) during 2014 elections. If they are calling for resignation of the President, who do they think will take over? Timothy Mtambo?” queried Viola.

Viola said CSO’s claim that public trust has been eroded on Mutharika leadership is but a figment of imagination.

He rubbished the activist and human rights defenders saying they have no mandate from the people of Malawi.

“They are not representing Malawi. They are representing themselves and those that sponsor them,” the Presidential Press Secretary said.

Viola said if the CSO’s are representing Malawians, they should wait for the citizen to speak with their ballots in 2019 elections whether they want Mutharika out of power or not.

In a media statement, CSOs cited high cost of living and ailing economy, dwindling service delivery peppered with empty talk on Public Service reform as some of the indicators not reflecting well on Mutharika and therefore called on the President to take charge or resign if he feels he is not up to the task.

Among other recommendations, the CSOs have urged Mutharika to reduce local as well as international travels and revise the Decent and Affordable Housing Subsidy Programme budget and adjust downward the newly introduced fees in schools.

They have also urged Mutharika to respect and protect media freedom, by among others, signing the much-awaited Table Mountain Declaration, and fully supporting the enactment of the Access to Information Bill (ATI).

“To take quick measures to employ all health workers and teacher graduates to ease service delivery in the health and education sectors; address the drug shortage; depoliticize the public sector reforms by supporting it with necessary legal regime in order to ensure continuity; ensure that Public service reforms are periodically scrutinized by Parliament to improve the program delivery and ensure that reforms reflect the views and wishes of Malawians,” appeals the CSO’s.

The CSOs include Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR), Human Rights Defenders Forum, Centre for the Development of People (Cedep), Civil and Political Space Platform as well as human rights activists Martha Kwataine and Billy Mayaya.

Others are Charles Kajoloweka of Youth and Governance Activist, Robert Mkwezalamba of Human Rights Consultative Committee (HRCC), Moses Mkandawire of Civic and Political Space, Kiko Mapunda of Centre for Governance and Public Participation, Benedicto Kondowe of Human Rights Defenders Forum, Bright Kampaundi of Forum for National Development, Desmond Mhango of CEYCA, and Macdonald Sembereka of MANERELA .

Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :