CSO’s Wants Mutharika Step Down For Poor Democratic, Economic Governance

Malawi’s Civil Society Organisations (CSO’s) have asked President Peter Mutharika to resign if he keeps failing citizens in democratic and economic governance.

Nine human rights activists and organizations have issued a media statement on Wednesday 14th of October 2015 which highlights the democratic and economic challenges the country is going through

Billy Mayaya, a Civil Rights Activist read from the statement claiming that Malawians are suffering due to “current administration’s lack of vision and failure to care for Malawians.”

He said the country’s economy is at brink of collapse and pointed out; water and electricity crisis, ills in the education and health sectors and a cloud of uncertainty over Farm Input Subsidy Program (Fisp) in the agriculture sector. He added that the incumbent president is failing to fairly prosecute corruption cases, stop unnecessary expenditure and that his nepotistic administration is a champion in bullying the media.

“The list could be endless” stated Mayaya while accusing President Mutharika of being arrogant and so defensive on matters that seek him to be transparent by mentioning his response to bloated entourage to the United Nations General Assembly as recent an example. 

“Malawians should not be treated as if they forced Mutharika into plot number one. It is the incumbent who asked for it, and he must deliver to their expectations or else quit if he has no clue to fix their problems.” Read Mayaya from the statement

When concluding reading the statement, Gift Trapence, Executive Director for Centre for Development of People (CEDEP) also repeated resignation calls saying the county’s economy is heading for the dead end due to government “costly man-made blunders”

“We have no doubt that, given a mature, patriotic and altruistic leadership; the country can easily smart from the current challenges. We, however, genuinely feel the President is honourable enough to consider stepping down if he keeps failing Malawians.”

Later, Timothy Mtambo, Executive Director for Centre For Human Rights and Rehabilitaton (CHRR) and Charles Kajoloweka executive director for Youth and Society both resonated to the resignation calls by stating that emotions by president Mutharika at recent media briefing where he was angrily banging tables when making defensive responses to media questions, is a clear sign of a failed president.

“It is dangerous for the country to be led by angry and frustrated president” warned Kajoloweka

Among others the statement has touched number of areas including; high cost of living as the presidency continue to be extravagant, dwindling service delivery and empty talks on Public Service Reform Program.

The statement also has asked President Mutharika to commit, as matter of urgency to eleven solutions that correspond with the problems highlighted in the statement.

Mtambo, has since urged government to utilize the solutions in the statement “We have offered the solutions in this statement because it has been said that we don’t offer solutions. The truth is that we have been providing solutions to government but they don’t take them. We have done before and we are doing it again.”

Others who attended the conference includes, Robert Mkwezalamba, Chairperson for Human Rights Consultative Committee (HRCC).

All human rights activists who held the press briefing apart from Robert Mkwezalamba have signed the statement including; Moses Mkandawire of Civil and Political Space Platform, Desmond Mhango of CEYCA, Bright Kampaundi of Forum for National Development (FND), McDonald Sembereka of Malawi Network of Religious Leaders Living and Affected with HIV/AIDS, Benedicto Kondowe of Human Rights Defenders Forum and Kiko Mapunda from Centre for Governance and Public Participation.