ACTION AGAINST IMPUNITY
Press Statement
Blantyre, Wednesday, October 21, 2022
ALL IS SET FOR THE PLANNED DEMONSTRATIONS, AS THE MCP GOVERNMENT THREATENS ARRESTS
The Action Against Impunity, a network comprising Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Human Rights Defenders (HRDs), Concerned Citizens, Human Rights and Political Activists, Non- Governmental Organizations, Faith Based Organizations (FBOs), Labour Unions and the University Students, that do not tolerate state institutionalized corruption, incompetence and impunity, is hereby informing well-meaning citizens that all is set for the Thursday, October 27, 2022 peaceful demonstrations in Blantyre and Zomba districts, and on Friday, 28th October in the city of Lilongwe.
Malawians may wish to recall that initially, the demonstrations were slated for Lilongwe, Mzuzu, Blantyre and Zomba. However, as it has been pointed out time without number, the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera have unleased the state machinery to ensure that they take away a constitutional right to hold peaceful demonstrations.
The MCP is desperately trying to apply all the tricks in the book in order to foil the demonstrations, including our plans to present a petition to President Chakwera at Kamuzu Palace. It is against this background that API has engaged a legal team to challenge this archaic behaviour, and it is this kind of impunity we are against.
In the interest of transparency and accountability, a stakeholders meeting was held last week at the Lilongwe District Commissioner (DC’s) office, where the police pleaded with the organisers of the peaceful demonstrations to consider shifting the Lilongwe demonstrations to 28th October 2022, claiming that they had a state function on Thursday, 27th October which they said needed security and it was resolved that the peaceful demonstrations would take place on Friday, 28th October, 2022. In a twist turn of events, the Lilongwe DC, Dr. Lawford Palani, has written yet another letter, requesting the organisers of the peaceful demonstrations to revert to 27th October as the date for the demonstrations, without giving any valid reasons. As if this was not enough, Dr. Palani has also changed the route for the demonstrations without any explanation or justification.
Thus far, our legal team led by Adrian and Company has stepped in. the API will keep Malawians updated on our resolve to march to Kamuzu Palace on Friday, 28th October 2022.
In Mzuzu, the police have requested the organisers of the peaceful demonstrations to shift the date, claiming that President Chakwera will be in the city from Thursday this week. A new date for the demonstrations will, therefore, be communicated in due course.
Meanwhile, the API would also like to inform Malawians that Dr. Chakwera is spending sleepless nights in trying to slide this country back to where it was in the old MCP, which was associated with terror, death and darkness. In the course of the preparatory meetings for the peaceful demonstrations, the MCP operatives have deliberately misinterpreted a bail condition for one of the lead organizers Mr. Sylvester Namiwa, with the sole aim of taking away his constitutional right to participate in peaceful demonstrations.
During the bail application following Mr. Namiwa’s arrest in Lilongwe on 11th August 2021, the state asked the court to bar him from participating in any demonstration until the case was concluded, but this was objected by his defense team comprising Counsel Oscar Taulo and Charles Mhango. In its ruling, Nkukula Magistrate court said that Mr. Namiwa and the rest of the members that were arrested in 2021, should not participate in any demonstration that contravenes the police act. This was interpreted to mean he cannot take part in demonstrations that have not followed procedures as laid down in the police act.
However, as Malawians may recall, Mr. Namiwa was thrown out of the stakeholders’ meetings by Bennett Nkasala, the Blantyre DC and also Isaac Ali who represented the Zomba DC on 24th and 25th October respectively. Meanwhile, efforts are underway to seek relief from the courts in order to settle this matter once and for all.
Malawians my wish to know that all these issues of bail conditions have been brought about in order to have Mr. Namiwa’s bail revoked for purportedly violating his bail condition when in fact the matter was heard in an open court and everyone heard on their own the judgement. We will keep you updated on the matter.
API is therefore, calling upon Malawians of all walks of life from all corners of the country to join us in the peaceful demonstrations to be held on Thursday, October 27, 2022, from 09:30hrs. In Blantyre, the demonstrations will start from the Kamuzu Upper Stadium passing through the Kamuzu highway all the way to the DC’s offices where a petition will be presented. While in Zomba, the peaceful demonstrations will start from Matawale Township all the way to the DC’s office where a petition will be presented.
It is important to remind Malawians that these are peaceful demonstrations, and those found doing something to the contrary are not part of the demonstrators and the law should take its course.
Signed
JOSHUA CHISA MBELE – Activist: 0888 813 881
SYLVESTER NAMIWA – CDEDI Executive Director: 0993 462 700
LEONARD CHIMBANGA – Activist: 0997 747 001
