CSOs Angered By Pres. Mutharika Defensive Remarks at Children Christmas Party
The five Civil Society Organissations (CSOs)
Manet+Manelera+ MEHEN, CEDEP and CHRR are not at ease with President Professor
Peter Mutharika’s recent remarks that rebuke his critics who may attempt to
probe where he outsourced money used for hosting First Couples Christmas party
with children from around Lilongwe on Wednesday 17th December 2014
at Kamuzu Palace.
In
a quest to inform the nation that he hosted the children Christmas party using his
own together with first lady and well wishers money, President Peter Mutharika
is on record cautioning any attempt to find fault from the party particularly probe
where the money was sourced and make some protests out of it.
CSOs view this as direct attack to human
rights activists that have vehemently vow to go on with plans for national
demonstrations demanding (organizations not strategically placed in
national HIV and AIDS response) First Lady’s initiative Beautify Malawi Trust
(BEAM) and his tribe grouping Mulhako Wa Alhomwe to repay back the national HIV
and AIDS response funds they access through dubious means from National Aids
Commission (NAC).
In their
statement confirming steady to go on with January 13th 2015
demonstrations presented to the media over the weekend, CSOs have questioned
motive of President Peter Mutharika’s defensive remarks on accountability of his money used for hosting the party and any attempt to make demonstrations.
In
the manner the president presented the caution, CSOs suspect that the president had
a hand in the recent NAC incident. CSOs are also accusing President
Mutharika’s silence and failure to condemn the incident or calling for a swift
investigations, “For no doubt the President’s “silence” on the matter is making
a lot of noise, and to a greater extent his silence may be implied as consent
to the malpractice.” Said Timoty Mtambo CHRR executive director
who was together with Gift Trapence Executve director for Cedep, representing
other three CSOs
“Why is it that the DPP’s regime seemed to be
more concerned or angry with the saga than even the implicated BEAM Trust and
Mulhakho Wa Alhomwe?” asked Mtambo
“Why
the panic? Is there something the DPP’ regime is hiding to the country on its
possible role in NACGATE? If the whole of the President can stand up and say “I don’t want mawa somebody nkumati fwee
fwee fwee ndipanga demonstrations and so forth there is no government money
here involved”, in front of children,” Mtambo said adding that even such
words were not palatable for the children at the event
“For
any possible intentions by his critics to poke their nose into the source of
funds for the children’s party in a context or a background of NACGATE and that
the only demonstrations being talked about which are as a result of misuse of
public funds are the ones related to NACGATE, then we should all be suspicious
and question why the President is uttering such and his possible link to
NACGATE saga? Why the guilt and anger?” said CHRR executive director
Taking his turn Cedep executive director Gift
Trapence also expressed CSOs dismay on “worrisome” arguments being advanced by
some executive board members of BEAM Trust who in support of NAC gesture in
releasing funds to Beatify Malawi Trust (BEAM) and their position that BEAM
cannot return the money are also contradicting with clarification made by NAC.
Trapence also query Mr. Maxwell Matewere a Vice
Chairperson of CONGOMA and board member of First Lady Gertrude Mutharika’s BEAM
Trust, if his arguments supporting NAC gesture and calling nationwide
demonstrations ‘a rushed one’ were spoken on behalf of CONGOMA as a result of
consultative process with members or a board member of BEAM.
Similarly, the statement by CSOs, also accuse Malawi
Interfaith and Aids Alliance (MIAA) Robert Ngaiyaye for making a sweeping
argument for reasons not known.
It further accuses Mr. Mavuto Bamusi
(President Peter Mutharika’s Advisor on NGOs and board member of First Lady’s
BEAM Trust) for alleging that CSOs are jealousy of BEAM trust and are politically
motivated therefore BEAM cannot refund the money, and the CSOs should go ahead
with the planned demonstrations. CSOs statement maintains that Mr. Bamusi was supposed to advise the
President on the negative implications of using HIV and AIDS funds for
unrelated activities.
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