ALL IS SET FOR PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATIONS AGAINST PUNITIVE TAXES, LEVIES, INTEREST RATES, EXORBITANT MOBILE PHONE TARIFFS AND THEFT OF COVID-19 FUNDS
The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) is informing all well meaning Malawians and patriotic citizens that it will lead nationwide protests against punitive taxes, levies, interest rates, exorbitant mobile phone call charges and data and the massive plunder and theft of the Covid-19 funds. All these malpractices are mercilessly punishing the vulnerable and the marginalized in society. These peaceful demonstrations are scheduled to take place this Wednesday, 21st April 2021, in the cities of Lilongwe and Blantyre, and Mulanje district.
Malawians are currently struggling to make ends meet due to among many others, the high cost of living, which is as a result of high cost of essential commodities and services such as water, electricity, cooking oil, fuel and mobile phone charges.
It is against this background that CDEDI has launched a crusade to liberate Malawians from decades of economic bondage by demanding the immediate scrapping off of 16.5 percent VAT on cooking oil, and the commencement of the review and subsequent removal of some of the taxes and levies on fuel, water and electricity, in a bid to reduce the cost of production, thereby making the local products and services more affordable and accessible to the ordinary Malawians, who are also the voters.
Just soon after CDEDI had announced last week about its plans to hold the peaceful demonstrations, a national audit report on the MK6.2 Billion Covid-19 funds was leaked, which has exposed the shameless plunder of the funds under the watch of President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, and yet these billions of kwachas were meant for the fight against the pandemic. This is more than enough justification for every Malawian to demand transparency and accountability on the use of public funds from Dr. Chakwera, through these peaceful demonstrations. In the same vein, CDEDI is reminding President Chakwera to make public findings of the now forgotten 6 July report, the Statehouse Crossroads accommodation scandal, the NOCMA fuel supply saga and also exonerate himself from allegations former MCP Kasungu parliamentarian Alex Major leveled against him bordering on nepotism, favoritism and corrupt practices by his senior cabinet ministers and top state house staff.
As a law abiding institution, CDEDI wrote the following city authorities and councils in order to inform them about the scheduled peaceful demonstrations: Mzuzu, Lilongwe, Blantyre Cities; and Mulanje district council. The law clearly states that holding a peaceful demonstration is a constitutional right, but the convener should notify the authorities at least 48 hours before the demonstrations.
CDEDI wrote the letters on Monday April 14, 2021 but it is only Mzuzu City Council that responded promptly by calling for a planning meeting that was held at the council chambers on Friday, 16 April 2021. The meeting resolved to reschedule the protests due to the Vice President Dr. Saulosi Chilima’s official visit to the region, a development the city authorities said would strain security agents. This means the date for Mzuzu demonstrations will be announced in due course.
The silence from the rest of the councils is a futile attempt to deny Malawians their right to hold peaceful demonstrations. Additionally, it is a clear case of impunity and arrogance that is being displayed in our public offices. On the other hand, it is evidence enough that the Malawi Congress Party’s (MCP) regime is in itself a threat to the future of our hard earned democracy.
Nevertheless, CDEDI is not moved with the silence and we are proceeding with our plans as follows:
In Lilongwe the demonstrations will start at 9 am from Lilongwe Community Centre Ground to the Civic Offices in City Centre via Mchesi.
In Blantyre, the peaceful demonstrations will start at 9 am from the Kamuzu Upper Stadium to the Civic Offices via the Highway passing through Ginnery corner roundabout.
In Mulanje the peaceful demonstrations will start at 9 am from Nkhonya to the Council Offices via Chitakale.
Petitions will be delivered at all these councils.
The dressing code during these demonstrations is red and black. Covid-19 preventive measures will be followed. Face masks will be distributed to the demonstrators.
CDEDI is calling upon the Malawi Police service to provide security as per their constitutional mandate to ensure the safety and security of lives and property of all Malawians. CDEDI is also calling upon the Malawi Defense Force (MDF) to do likewise, following a very good precedent they set during the previous demonstrations that were staged in protest against the May 21, 2019 tripartite elections, where they were deployed to protect lives and property.
Chichewa
ZOKONZEKERA ZONSE ZA ZIWONETSERO YA MISONKHO YOKWERA, KUKWERA MITENGO KWA MTENGO WA INTANETI KOMANSO KUBEDWA KWA NDALAMA ZA KORONA ZILI M’MALO
Bungwe la Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) likudziwitsa a Malawi onse akufuna kwabwino komanso nzika zones zomwe zimafunira dziko lino za bwino kuti lakonza zionetsero zokhudza misonkho yokwera kwambiri yomwe a Malawi akulipira akamagula zinthu zosiyanasiyana komanso kukwera mtengo kwambiri kwa mayunitsi a foni komanso intaneti ndi kubedwa kwa ndalama za kolona. Nyansi zonsezi zikukankhira a Malawi ku umphawi wa dzaoneni. Ziwonetserozi zichitika lachitatu pa 21st April 2021, mu mizinda ya Lilongwe ndi Blantyre komanso ku boma la Mulanje.
A Malawi Pakadali pano akuvutika kuti akwaniritse kusamalira ma banja awo pa zifukwa zosiyanasiyana ndipo zina mwa izo ndi kukwera kwambiri kwa mitengo ya zinthu zofunika pa moyo wa tsiku ndi tsiku monga madzi, magetsi, mafuta ophikira, mafuta a galimoto komanso mitengo ya mayunitsi a foni.
Ichi ndichifukwa chake bungwe CDEDI lili pa kalikiliki kumenya nkhondo yomwe cholinga chake ndi kuwombola a Malawi mu nsinga za ukapolo wa umphawi womwe akhala akuvutika nawo kwa zaka zambiri popempha boma kuti lichotse msonkho wa K16.50 pa K100.00 iliyonse womwe anthu amapereka akagula mafuta ophikira, komanso kuwunikira komanso kuchotsa misonkho yomwe anthu amapereka akagula mafuta a galimoto, madzi, magetsi ndi cholinga chofuna kuchepetsa mtengo wopangira katundu kuti a Malawi omwenso ndi amene amakavota adzikhala moyo wofewa.
Bungwe la CDEDI litangolengeza kuti lakonza ziwonetsero pa nkhani yokhudza momwe ndalama zokwana MK6.2 biliyoni za matenda a kolona zidagwirira ntchito, zikalata za kafukufuku wa momwe ndalamazi zidagwirila ntchito zinatulutsidwa, ndipo zasonyeza kuba kosamvera a Malawi chisoni komwe kukuchitika m’boma la Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, ndipo chomwetsa kwambiri chisoni ndi chakuti ndalama za nkhaninkhanizi zinali zolimbirana ndi mulili. Ichi ndi chifukwa chokwana kuti nzika za dziko lino likakamize This is more Dr. Chakwera kuti apange chiganizo chomveka pa nkhani ya kubedwa kwa ndalama mopanda chisoni choncho kudzera pa ziwonetsero za mtendere. Bungwe la CDEDI likukumbutsanso pulezidenti Chakwera kuti awuze mtundu wa a Malawi zotsatira za report la pa July 6, katangale waku hotel ya Crossroads yemwe akukhudza anthu ogwira ntchito ku nyumba ya boma, nkhani yokhudza kugawa mafuta ku bungwe la NOCMA komanso kuti mtsogoleriyu anenepo kanthu pa nkhani yokhudza kukondera komanso kusankhana mitundu komwe nduna zake zina komanso ogwira ntchito ku nyumba ya boma akulimbikitsa monga adanenera masiku apitawa phungu wakale wa chipani cha MCP ku Kasungu Alex Major.
Ngati bungwe lotsata lamulo, CDEDI idalembera makalata mizinda ya Mzuzu, Lilongwe ndi Blantyre komanso khonsolo ya boma la Mulanje kuwadziwitsa za ziwonetserozi. Lamulo limanena momveka bwino kuti kupanga ziwonetsero za bata ndi ufulu wa nzika iliyonse, koma amene akufuna kupangitsa ziwonetseroyo amayenera kudziwitsa adindo maola 48 ziwonetserozi zisanachitike.
Bungwe la CDEDI linalemba makalatawa lolemba pa 14 April, 2021 koma ndi mzinda wa Mzuzu wokha womwe udayankha kalatayi ndipo udayitanitsa mkumano womwe udachitika ku ma ofesi a mzindawu la chisanu pa 16 April 2021. Kutsatira mkumanowu tidagwirizana kuti tisinthe tsiku la ziwonetserozi chifukwa wa chiwiri kwa mtsogoleri wa dziko lino Dr. Saulosi Chilima akhala akuyendera ntchito zosiyanasiyana za boma m’derali zomwe akulu-akulu a mzindawu adati zingadzathe kusokoneza chitetezo. Izi zikutanthawuza kuti tsiku la chiwonetsero chaku Mzuzu tikuwuzani masiku akubwerawa.
Kusayankha kalata yathu kwa mizinda inayi ndi chilakolako chofuna kutseka a Malawi pakamwa komanso kuwaphera ufulu wawo wopanga zionetsero za bata. Kuwonjezera apo izi zikusonyeza kusalabadira zofuna a Malawi komwe anthu ogwira ntchito za boma a amawonetsa. Mbali inayi izi zikusonyezanso kuti ulamuliro wa chipani cha Malawi Congress Party’s (MCP) ukupereka chiopysezo ku ufulu wa dimokalase womwe tidawupeza movutikira. Ngakhale zili choncho bungwe la CDEDI silikutekeseka ndi cheteyu ndipo tikupitilira ndi ziwonetsero zathu motere:
Ku Lilongwe ziwonetserozi zidzayamba 9 koloko m’mawa kuchokera pa Lilongwe Community Centre Ground kukathera ku Civic Offices ku City Centre kudzera ku Mchesi.
Ku Blantyre, ziwonetserozi zidzayamba 9 koloko m’mawa kuchokera pa Kamuzu Upper Stadium kukathera ku Civic Offices kudzera mu Highway mpaka pa Ginnery corner roundabout.
In Mulanje ziwonetserozi zidzayamba 9 koloko m’mawa kuchokera pa Nkhonya mpaka ku Council Offices kudzera ku Chitakale.
Zikalata za madando zikaperekedwa ku maofesi onsewa.
Kavalidwe ka pa ziwonetserozi ndi zovala zofiyira komanso zakuda. Ndondomeko zones zopewa kolona zidzatsatidwa pa ziwonetserozi. Bungwe la CDEDI likupempha a polisi kuti adzapereke chitetezo pa ziwonetserozi Bungwe la CDEDI likupempnso asilikali a gulu la nkhondo kuti apitilize kuwonetsera khalidwe labwino lomwe adayamba kale kuwonetsa chisanachitike chisankho chachibwereza.
