Trapence earns ‘Julius Malema’ title in Malawi for fearlessness

Centre for the Development of People (CEDEP) executive director, Gift Trapence, earned a heroic stint and was christened the ‘Julius Malema of Malawi’ for relentlessly showcasing courage throughout the nationwide demonstrations over the K4 billion scam on Friday.

Right activist Gift Trapence with the petition on his way to deliver at Capital Hill as Deputy Inspector of General of Police Duncan Mwapasa walks with him

Malema is a Member of Parliament and the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters, a far-left and racial nationalist South African political party, which he founded in July 2013.

He is known for his courage and fearlessness in fighting for the voiceless and the underprivileged

CEDEP collaboratively organized the protests, that among others want Ministers Kondwani Nankhumwa and Goodall Gondwe to step down immediately for their dubious involvement in the scam, with Centre for Human Rights Rehabilitation (CHRR) and Youth and Society (YAS).

At Mchesi, where the protests began from, Trapence was a hero among the youths who formed a large number of the protesters for speaking boldly about issues affecting the youth included in the 10-point petition.

“We’re tired of joblessness! We must be heard and that will be done today! We must show them that we are frustrated and we want them to look into our issues with seriousness or they must go,” a determined Trapence amidst great handclapping.

Trapence, who comes from the southern region himself, spoke boldly against nepotism and ‘Lhomwelisation of Malawi.’

Lhomwe is President Peter Mutharika tribe which enjoys most of the national cake.

According to Trapence, Malawi “should belong to us all” and not just some tribe or region.

Detained by police?

At around Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) where the protesters faced police intimidation and resistance, Trapence spent close to an hour in a closed meeting with members of the police service led by deputy inspector general of police, Duncan Mwapasa, and some government officials at Lilongwe Civic Offices.

Protesters feared that Trapence had been arrested, based on earlier speculations.

Joseph Gondwe, a human rights defender, staff from CHRR and Rodgers Newa, a rights activist tried to force their way in but could not because of heavy police absence.

But a smiling and focused Trapence came out of the meeting—after about an hour—to the excitement of all the protesters.

He walked down from the Civic Offices a hero with Mwapasa on his left, petition and letter of clearance to get to Capital Hill in hand.

Almost everyone wanted to touch his hand or hug him, but Trapence was well protected by protesters that had volunteered to provide his security detail.

“I think he has done a great job. They have done a great job. I can only describe them as our Julius Malemas of Malawi,” said Gilbert Botha, a businessman and entrepreneur in the city.

Trapence told Nyasa Times after the petition was delivered that he was glad that Malawians had turned up in large numbers.

“Our role is to sensitize and mobilize. It is up to the citizens to take it up or not; and, I am happy that Malawians have noticed for themselves that things are not on in this country,” said Trapence.

Clad in red and black attire, scores of marchers started off from the high density area of Mchesi, passed along Kamuzu Central Hospital and proceeded into the City Centre.

 

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22 replies on “Trapence earns ‘Julius Malema’ title in Malawi for fearlessness”

  1. I would like to apologise to our readers for the typographic error I have made.Instead of 600 M Rands i have put 600 Rands.

  2. Kanundu,please get educated.Malema is not a man of the people.Why Malawians are easily carried out by unsubstantiated occurances? Malema,in the first place,never went to school,he was just among the roaming TSOTSIS in the precincts of Soweto doing all sorts of brutal things.He is a rogue of rogues,he does not know politics,what he knows is violence and deceipt.He has been fired from the ANC because of his untrustworthy.He stole 600 Rands that he used to build a personal bungalow.Right now,he has completely lost trust from South Africans when he declared that Nelson Mandela betrayed South Africa and Africa as a whole.For your information,he was shamefully not allowed to attend Winnie Mandela’s funeral recentry.After being chased away from the ANC,he formed his own Party based on chasing white farmers without compensation the Mugabe style which has destroyed Zimbabwe beyond repairs.In South Africa,this will cause a great deal of problems to the people of South Africa as Mugabe did to Zimbabwe.For your information,white farmers in South Africa are attracting a good number of countries to bring them to their countries for resttlements such countries are Australia,New-zealand,the USA,Britain,Canada and many others in Africa such as Angola,Namibia and Mozambique.These countries also received white farmers from Zimbabwe and they are exporting food there to the starving Africans.i would like also to advise KANUNDU not to write misleading and bunkum information.Once again,Malema is lost sheep and that he has no support at all in South Africa and he is still facing cases of theft and other related crimes.For your information,there is no difference between Malema and the two Muthalikas.

  3. Chindele Trapezi pala uli.namahala kimile kwanyoko u president tione.pala ungawina mahala ulije iwe namunyako Timothy Mtambo vi nkunku .l
    L

  4. which malema ? is malema a gay rights activist ? csos may tell u that the demostrations were a success just to cover the evil plans they had . by insisting to enter capital hil they wanted to trickly take over government . u wil agree that by advertising vigorously on one of the local radios for almost the whole month they thought the whole nation would join them in this useless . amaona ngati a times akamapanganso live coverage anthu aledzera ndi mzimu waziwawa kepanako mdziko muno nkuyambika ziwawa . inutu mungolimbana ndi campaign 2019 ndipomwe zidzadziwike ngati boma limayendetsedwa bwino kapena ai . a dpp nawonso apange ziwonetsero zodandaula kuti akamberemberewa akuwajejemetsa kuyendetsa boma . nkhanga zoana . wapakariyala saimba belo .

  5. “Our role is to sensitize and mobilize. It is up to citizens to take it or not,” well said Mr Trapence. Now I think umunthu wabwereramo. Now let me give you a piece of advice.
    1. Don’t take these issues personal coz you are not the only people who are experiencing the same. Find better ways to express your concerns.
    2. If you are a true activist, you should have known about conflict management. Wars do not solve problems. They only aggravate the situation. Contact and dialogue is the key. Learn from what is happening with South and North Korea.
    3. Demonstrations are not the way of sensitizing the people coz demonstrations are characterized by hate and anger. You could have found a better way.
    4. It appears you have very good connections with the donors who sponsor your demonstrations. People would take you seriously if you decided to channel those funds to solving the problems other than the way you decided to take. Associate your organizations with tangible development projects on the ground, e.g. instal solar panels to add to the grid. That way you will be seen to be patriotic.
    5. Finally, the country is for us all. Don’t make the country ungovernable because you hate the ruling party. Wait until the elections. That’s when people will decide for themselves their destiny. Don’t force them to follow your destiny.

    I hope you will ponder over this with sober mind. Thank you.

  6. DiPiPiiiii Manyazani bwanji …pamenepa Koma Trapence ndi deal you even convinced the whole police to join and demonstrate….. Dausi and the team plese fire the police officers who fearlessly joined the demonstration.. hahah Mwapasa umakhwana ….

  7. Well done Malawi!!!! Power is too sweet to let go hence we must commit to give up something of substance to get it back. See Genesis 27 verse 40.

  8. Presidents, political parties and councilors are elected into power through the ballot box. 10 million eligible voters (or 7.5 million registered voters), will determine who the president of Malawi will be, which party rules Malawi and who the councillors will be. Unfortunately for us is that the 7.5 million registered voters, who will seal the fate of the rest of Malawians, have been social- engineered to obey and therefore manipulatable…..these are not critical thinkers. The colonialists and then post- independence political parties have bred children whose development is highly impaired. It started from hospitals, where we all were born, to schools and then universities. 80% of all Malawians are social- engineered not to question critically but rather obey. It is for this reason that they will keep voting for the same uncaring political parties and leaders, despite the pain the cause to them. It shoudn’t therefore be a surprise if Malawians still vote for DPP or MCP. It’s a very irrational behavior but understandable. The party that has a basic campaign message will win the day especially in light of the unsophisticated environment Malawi finds itself in. I suggest to you Gift Trapence that you keep your message very basic so that it translates to votes away from DPP or MCP. Julius Malema has excelled in connecting with the masses with unsophisticated messaging. Trapence, you can’t be talking about the negatives of blackouts when only 10% of Malawians are connected to the grid. You can’t be talking about K4 billion looting when most of dilinquent voters can’t even read or count. You’ll be surprised that despite your view that the demo was a success, the very same people who joined you yesterday, still vote for Peter Mutharika and DPP come May 2019.

  9. Another wrong comparison. Julius Malema is an ideologue with strong views and clear goals. Trapeze is a confused opportunist who does not have a cause.

  10. Another wrong comparison. Julies Male make is an ideologue. Trapence is a loud-mouthed opportumist who does really have a cause.

  11. kumangorubwarubwa kuti ife tikupita ku nseu kukhapanga zionesero zosaona kukodwa eeeeee mwamtete mwamtete tayambani mwakhonza kaya mabvuto muli nawo panokha

  12. Those who were praying to the devil for violence or a repeat of 20 July are ashamed to see that these demos were peaceful. manyazi bwa?

  13. Sure, nthawi ino siyamantha ayi, things are going out of hand in this country. We are living as refugees in our own land. Trapence umatiyimilira!

  14. Now you are putting the issue of tribe and region into this? Do you know that blood is thicker than water? Trapence is now inciting Malawians against the southerners. Yet you call yourself a human rights defenders

  15. All the hype came to nothing. Congrats to the police for not falling for the CSO ruse. The Malawi Government will not act on any issues raised in the petition and will continue with Lo.welisation of the public service. Corruption is our main source of living. We shall continue using Mota Engil and Sawa Group to enrich ourselves because we own this country.
    Fortunately most Malawians dont have a ckue as to the magnitude of the corruption in this country. By the time DPP is through with its systematic plunder only Lomwes will be alive. You fools can march shout and use foul language we wont be bothered instead we will intensify in our looting.
    Ask Bisika from MACRA how clever we are. In case you dont know Bisika was one of the three people who helped us rig the elections but we are now done with him. DPP did not win the election we stole it right under JBs noses through Bisika, Chisala and the new CD in one govt dept. Peple talk about Chilima as having an effect no he is irrelevant we shall always win.

    Ministers are busy getting MK30 million from Asians every week through their PAs in readiness for the elections. We are selling everything possible without shame. Tidzingolamula till jesus comes. Mwagwa nayo APM woyee.

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