A stakeholders’ meeting for the forthcoming anti-government protests produced a lot of sparks after Blantyre District Commissioner Burnet Nkasala ejected Sylvester Namiwa, who is executive director for the Centre for Democracy and Economic Development initiatives (CDEDI).
Sources say Nkasala made the decision allegedly because Namiwa’s court bail conditions forbid him from leading demonstrations that contravene the Police Act.
Confirming the development, Namiwa described Nkasala’s conduct as a threat to democracy and the death of professionalism, observing that he has organised and led various demonstrations since his bail condition was imposed in 2021.
“When have DCs started monitoring whether people are complying with bail conditions?
“Let me seize this opportunity to put matters to rest. My lawyers already objected in court to the demands by police prosecutor Mangani who asked the court that I should no longer be involved in organising demonstrations. My lawyer Oscar Taulo told the court that doing so would be infringing my constitutional rights and the court ruled in our favour. Honestly, what the Blantyre DC has done is strange and uncalled for in a democratic dispensation,” he said.
”The same issue was raised during a similar meeting on Friday in Lilongwe. However, Lilongwe DC Dr. Lawford Palani handled it professionally since he asked me to remain behind after everything. The good thing is that Mangani, who started the whole thing, was there and I reminded them that the case was in an open court, hence we should just get hold of the judgement,” he added.
According to Namiwa, Magistrate Onsewa’s ruling on the matter was interpreted by his legal team of Charles Mhango and Taulo as implying he was at liberty to participate in demonstrations unless where the authorities, such as DCs, withhold their approval.
DCs are currently facing criticism from different human rights activists with the recent being Palani who has changed routes for demonstrations without consulting organisers.
Initially the organisers wanted to reach State House but Palani has decreed that the petition be delivered at his office, but the organisers have challenged the decision.
Writing on his Facebook page, one of the organisers Joshua Chisa Mbele has indicated that the demonstrations in Lilongwe will go as planned and the destination remains State House where the petition would be delivered in person to President Lazarus Chakwera.
“Since the issues raised require executive powers to be resolved, the demonstrations in Lilongwe will start from the Lilongwe Community Ground passing through Mchesi, all the way to the Kamuzu Central Hospital roundabout and Parliament Building via the Presidential Drive up to the Kamuzu Palace, just 100 meters away from the palace’s main gate where a petition will be presented to President Chakwera,” he said.
The demonstrations are being organised by a network of human rights activists tagged Action Against Impunity (API) who have branded President Chakwera as a “chief architect” of major corruption scandals.
API has since called on all Malawians of all walks of life from all corners of the country to join the peaceful demonstrations scheduled for October 27, 2022.
In the statement, the activists have also reminded all DCs and MCP supporters intending to block the demonstration that Malawi became a multiparty democracy in June 1993, therefore holding peaceful demonstrations is a constitutional right that is non-negotiable.
