State House commends activists for cancelling July 20 demo
Special Advisor to President Peter Mutharika on Civil Society and Non Governmental Organizations, Mabvuto Bamusi has commended Malawi CSOs for postponement of much awaited nationwide anti-government demonstrations which were slated to take place on July 20, the day when 20 people died following the same protests in 2011.
In a telephone interview from State House, Bamusi described the change of heart as signs of maturity to the party of NGOs.
Bamusi said demonstrations are always last resort in as far as advocacy is concerned.
“The President met Congoma (Council for non government organisation) in August last year where it was resolved that dialogue should be the new way of resolving issues now than demonstrations,” said Bamusi.
Friday afternoon some sections of the CSOs led by Billy Mayaya who is a human rights activist, Fyson Chodzi and Bright Kampaundi organized a news conference where they announced the postponement of the demonstrations.
“We are doing this for the sake of Malawians so there is no way we can betray them,” said Mayaya when pressed by the reporters to explain about the cancellation of the demonstrations.
“In reaction to the proposed demos, we have received communication from Government through the office of the Presidential advisor on NGOs, requesting an audience and dialogue with civil society so that it can respond directly to these demands as well as proposed a way forward on these key issues,” Mayaya added.
Forum for National Development (FND) Chairperson, Bright Kampaundi said if the CSOs are not going to be satisfied with the response from Government there will “revert” to their original plan to hold demonstrations.
FND National Coordinator of Fryson Chodzi said NGOs have been raising concerns on various governance, social, political and economic issues haunting the country.
Some of the governance issues raised include; deterioration of service delivery in all key sectors particularly health.
The CSOs also wants speedy investigation of ACB official, Issa Njauju who was brutally murdered.
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Malawians will never forget that massacre no matter how hard govt can try to make us forget! DPP as a party cannot be happy if this day is remembered because they were in government when those 19 souls were brutally murdered in the streets by no other than the trigger happy Police. No matter how long DPP can try to suppress justice, one day the ones who ordered these deaths will be taken to task. As for Bamusi, when has not holding demos become a sign of maturity? Mwaiwala kale kuti inuyo mwafika pamene mulipo chifukwa cah mademo?? Kupanda NGOs… Read more »
Ndalama basi ! Inu ma ma NGO mwakatamuka on top of us .
NO DEMO. Y MALAWI?
Nzeru za munthu wa njala is just like za munthu osegula mmimba. amachitilatu momwe angathele akapeza mwayi!
Demonstrations are a form as well as a part of negotiations..
So both cards can go together!
Corrupt wamutharika is silencing activists with wads of cash.What do you expect from them with all this poverty?
No news here
Which ever way the charcoal continues to smoulder
stupid govt
Sad news for our poor people