Women activist urges Shanil to take legal action against DPP elections director

Renowned women activist Emma Kaliya has urged former First Lady Patricia Shanil Dzimbiri to take legal action against Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) director of Elections Ben Phiri over his slurs.

Phiri told a rally in the constituency where Dzimbiri is vying for a second parliamentary term that the former legislator had her marriage broken with former president Bakili Muluzi because she is not satisfactory in bed.

“The only way to deal with this matter is to go to court and seek redress. Ben Phiri’s offensive remarks are unacceptable. He has insulted the modesty of a woman,” said Kaliya.

The DPP and First Lady Gertrude Mutharika have all condemned Phiri over his remarks and Phiri wrote on facebook that the remarks he made did not represent views of the party.

However, some people wonder why the police are not arresting Phiri just as they did with a man in Bkantyre who had compared the First Lady Mutharika to Rango cartoons.

On Thursday Dzimbiri rejected Phiri’s apology over offensive remarks he made in Balaka west, demanding he makes another rally in the area and make the apology.

“I have not seen the apology because I am told he has posted on facebook, I am not on facebook but my response is that he should go back to the audience he made the offensive remarks and make the apology,” she said.

She said people in her village have no access to social media platforms therefore, he said, what he said is still stuck in their heads.

In a video clip, Phiri says Muluzi divorced her because she is not good in bed.

“I have never seen a yao who can fail in bed but this one completely failed this is why her marriage ended,” said Phiri to the hand-clapping of women in the rural Balaka.

In his apology statement, Phiri however says: “As most of you are aware, there is a video [clip] in circulation in which I was captured at one of the campaign rallies in Balaka district with sentiments directed at the Hon. Dr. Shanil Dzimbiri which have been interpreted as attacking the modesty of a woman.

“I would like to sincerely and unconditionally apologise to Dr. Shanil Dzimbiri, her family members, women of Malawi and all Malawians offended by the remarks.”

He further apologized to the DPP for what he says the damage the sentiments gave caused to the party, saying the sentiments do not represent the position of the party or its leader.

There was no immediate comment from the UTM where she holds the position of director of women.

Dzimbiri is a humble down to earth woman who never insults anyone during her political rallies but practices issue based campaign.

The former First Lady comes from the same area as the sitting First Lady Gertrude Mutharika