UDF says Malawi slowly losing ‘Warm Heart of Africa’ tag: Urges govt to reconstitute MHRC
The United Democratic Front (UDF) party has asked the authorities to reconstitute the State-funded Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) and appoint a Commission of inquiry in the wake of what it calls incidents of abuse of human rights perpetuated by political violence in the country.
In a statement made available to Nyasa Times signed by UDF publicist Ken Ndanga, the party say courts alone cannot get down to the real cause of the incidents of political violence which has so far claimed two lives.
“We are fully aware that the Nsundwe murder suspects and others are currently in court and we have confidence in the independence of our judiciary.
The UDF statement comes after violent protests of October 8 2019 that claimed the life of a police officer at Nsundwe on the outskirts of Lilongwe City. And there are now serious allegations of police brutality, including starving the suspects for three days, sexual harassment and rape of some suspects’ wives and school girls in boarding schools.
However, the UDF is of the view that the courts alone will not be able dig deeper in terms of the real issues which are motivating young people to be involved in “thuggery activities.”
UDF says the spate of violence in the country is a clear indication that the country is slowly losing its trademark as the Warm Heart of Africa.
The party further say while, demonstration are right it suspects that the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) protests demanding Jane Ansah to resign as Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson, have been infiltrated by elements who have high jacked the good intentions of the organisers.
On this the UDF advises HRDC to reflect on the development and go back to the drawing board.
“For whatever reasons we should not sacrifice the democratic gains we have achieved over the years,” reads the statement.
In the statement, the UDF which ruled Malawi under the new multiparty dispensation cautions the youths to reject any attempts by individuals to use them as tools of political violence.
UDF said considering the manner in which the violence is happening in the country, there are all indications that it has the potential to degenerate into a more serious social unrest which may claim more lives and damage or loss of properties belonging to innocent Malawians.
The party said there is need to establish through a commission of inquiry what actually led to the death of police officer Usumani Imedi and “ascertain the veracity of the rumours flying around.
UDF also calls for appointing authority to expedite the reconstitution of the Malawi Human Rights Commission “so that it can begin to function at this moment of need.”
Meanwhile, MHRC is slowly being crippled financially and in terms of personnel, making it difficult to undertake some of its core constitutional functions.
MHRC executive secretary David Nungu confirmed that the organisation is under-funded.
“As a constitutionally set up organisation mandated to protect human rights and investigate all forms of human rights abuses in our country, we are running on a K1.2 billion budget against an ideal budget we had earlier proposed of K1.5 billion. We are overwhelmed with the work at hand just now,” said Nungu in quotes reported in the press.
According to the Constitution of Malawi, MHRC is mandated to protect and promote human rights in the country in the broader sense possible and investigate violations of human rights on its own or upon receiving complaints from any person, class of persons or body.
Commentators say MHRC deserves to be fully-funded to ensure that it fulfils its constitutional mandate.
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Another useless utterances aimed at joining the failed fellows. UDF has nothing to offer Malawi in my view. I do not think that even its leadership is serious about Malawi. What is being said now is just in the spirit of following a chair who has proved disappointing why cant they remain quite. Stupid poitics palyed by UDF ndizomwe zikuvuta panopo nkulepheranso kuzibwezanso. Moyo wozikonda too much and we would not like any advice brought about because of their ego and selfishness
UDF??? My foot!!!!
Malawi politics of passing the baton to next of kin leads to tribalist tendency which in turn leads to nepotism, regionalism and finally to chaos as we’re witnessing.
Any Malawian with a better than high school diploma aught to be ashamed if they still adhere to tribalistic divisions.
Komadi zonsezi ndi Bakili ,mchawa woipa,Ngakhale makolo anga andiuza kuti Mchawa simunthu kkkk.Nsanje kwa amene anamuika pampando bakili nkusankha fisiyuja Bingu
Zoonadi zosenzi kuipa mtima plus umbuli wa chitsiru Bakili mulunzi,adatenga Bingu kumuika pa u president,just becoz waku mwela pamene kusiya anthu achina malewezi,aleke Banda,koma chifukwa cha tsankho ndi umbuli wa Bakili,lero mtundu wamalawi ukumvutika ndi zitsiru so called alomwe
Yes indeed, the root cause of all this unrest and suffering is Muluzi’s myopic vision and selfishness.
The majority of Malawiians are peace loving and will gladly follow any leader that has the interest of the people at heart. It shouldn’t matter what tribe a leader comes from, if the leader has the interest of the nation; then development would be based on the need. Today development is promised to those who vote DPP, and some are given prefernce as “ana a dad”.
To all involved in trying to bring peace to our present turmoil, please try to find a way to get Muluzi in olved. Let him see the results of his leadership.
MALAWI HAS ALWAYS BEEN USING THE WRONG TITLE OF ,”WARM HEART OF AFRICA”
SINCE WHEN HAS MALAWI EVER BEEN A WARM COUNTRY ?
THATS THE BIG QUESTION
EVEN UNDER BAKILI MULUZI- THE UDF CADETS BEAT UP INNOCENT PEOLE IN BLANTYRE
IN FULL VIEW OF POLICE AND IN DAY LIGHT.
THE UDF THUGS MATCHED AND BEAT PEOPLE ALL THE WAY FROM OLD TOWN HALL VIA NANDOS
ALL ALONG THE WAY
SO WHAT IS NDANGA OF UDF TELLING THE NATION. MOCKERY???
Selfish muluzi and the udf and cant you caution this toothless 80yr old stupid American lawyer who stole our votes.
We the people of the Center and the North are ready to take up arms and reedem our dignity that the lomwes has destroyed .
Once we take out dpp we will make sure we get the dpp petro bomb cadets including dausi into prisons.
We have the profile of all the dpp evil doings .muntharika watchout we will drag you out on the street naked .
All the dpp police officers be prepared to be unemplowyed for life .
Judgement day is coming to malawi !!!
Udf ndi dpp ndiamodzi Amuluzi akudziwapo kenakake sichabe mpaka kuloLela kuti udf ifee😕😕akudya zambiri za dpp mumfunse atupele akuuzani. Malawi kufika apa lero muluzi ndiye yankho. Kodi ku udf kunalibe anthu anzeru bwana cheya kuti mukatiphe ife a malawi ndi zinthu izi mukuti bingupitala?😧😧
THIS DPP COMES BECAUSE OF THE GREED AND SELFISH OF MULUZU.
IMAGINE DAUSI THE MYP BOY IS THE MINISTRY OF HOME LAND SECURTY
Democratic gains enjoyed by a very few , increased corruption, nepotism, mediocrity, dead civil service, Malawi is completely dead. But as a nation that is one way of growing…
Bushit UDF on focusing on death of a police officer we should also forcus on what cussed the death of matafale eveson ,the memories are still fresh. What about the stolen votes and attempted murder of mtambo and others, UDF you are the real cause of these problems in Malawi shame on you
UDF should apologize to Malawians for their role into what we are in today particularly for introducing the Mutharikas into Malawi’s political leadership………………………………………………….. MPS should also rape you big time!
The shortfall is not that big
In the wake of the Lomwe kingdom which now has unleashed terror on Malawians the UDF has never condemned the DPP in the strongest terms and actions. The reason is that the UDF and DPP both belong to the Southern region, and they both planned it to rotate the presidency among themselves. The Mutharikas became so greedy and now Peter Hitler Mutharika has decided to leave the presidency with a Lomwe or a tribe in the Southern region that is Lomwe friendly. Look at the composition of his cabinet—quite strategically selected. People like Vuwa Kaunda are illiterate and cannot add one plus one, and they are only good at bootlicking. The UDF and DPP are all the same and cannot be trusted. These two political parties both belong to the Southern region and don’t believe in what one of them is saying—-they both sleep in the same bed. To the MCP: Why do you refuse federalism? Do you think you can get back the presidency of Malawi under the Unitary system? Peter Hitler Mutharika has already told you that the MCP will never rule Malawi again because the Centre and the Northern region are divided. You have been infiltrated by Lomwe spys that rape and murder your children. These Lomwe spys have been planted in the police force, army, and security agencies. The Lomwe tribe hold higher positions in every department of security of Malawi. You’re fucked. The only solution in Malawi is to introduce FEDERALISM. A federalism with rotational presidency among our three provinces. Each province must be allocated points. Southern region 35 points, Central region 30 points, Northern region 25 points. In order for a political party to win the presidency it must have more than 50 points. Save Malawi from splitting and let us embark on Federalism. Unitary system is bad and very soon we’re going to have a civil war. In our provinces the governorship must be rotated among the indigenous tribes of those provinces. Never ever agree to the so called “districts federalism” because that will still give the Southern region dominance, and it will still be a unitary system. Peter Hitler Mutharika has found that Malawians are the most dummest people on planet earth. They blanketed them with slogans of such as, “Malawi the warm heart of Africa.” Malawi for Malawians is not warm but hell. Tribalism, regionalism, quota system, and all the “isms” of the world are the rule of the day. FORWARD WITH FEDERALISM AND DOWN WITH PETER HITLER MUTHARIKA, DOWN WITH UDF, DOWN WITH DPP, DOWN WITH THE LOMWES, DOWN WITH THE SOUTHERN REGION, AND FORWARD WITH THE PEOPLE’S STRUGGLE. NEVER EVER SURRENDER BECAUSE IF YOU SURRENDER YOUR OFFSPRING WILL CONTINUE TO BE SLAVES AND SUBMISSIVE. TEACH THEM TO BE BRAVE A FIGHT FOR A JUSTICE GOVERNMENT WHICH IS FEDERALISM. ALLUTA CONTINUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
UDF is the reason Malawi is in this state! You selfishly introduced the Mutharika. Bingu had United Party UP only got two votes thus were he belong but Muluzi decided to punish his party members for his failed 3rd term bid now we have a kingdom of impunity and non stop demos, murders, lawlessness.
I totally agree with you Madando@147. Elson Bakili Muluzi is the main reason for the challenges and problems the country is going through. Elson Bakili Muluzi should take fully responsibility otherwise UDF should stop insulting the nation.
Very true they are focusing on only one subject yet we have the Petro bombing issues , vote rigging and other
UDF shading crocodile tear’s ,you are failing to caution DPP, these probles are your own making, in parliament wise people said that let’s go for 50+1 you voided against it together with DPP, simply because of financial gains you were dinning and winning with DPP, now they have left you in cold, muyisomva
UDF is not to blame, our system of taking our leaders as demi gods needs to be revisited. Plus we need to realise that founders of parties are not owners of the party – the voters are.