Today, 13 August, 2020, CDEDI held a press briefing in Lilongwe to address on the failure by President Lazarus Chakwera to lead by example in adhering to the recently gazetted Covid-19 preventive measures.
Here is the full statement.
APOLOGIZE TO MALAWIANS, WITHDRAW THE GAZETTED COVID-19 GUIDELINES MR. PRESIDENT!
The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has learnt with shock that State President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera while attending a funeral ceremony for one of the fallen longest member of his Malawi Congress Party (MCP), failed to lead by example in adhering to the recently gazetted Covid-19 preventive measures.
Pictures are all over for everyone to see that Chakwera failed to respect his own government’s rules and regulations barely four days after they were gazetted and less than 50 days in office.
It is even more disturbing to note that Tonse Alliance which came into power through adherence to the of rule of law they should have been the last to disobey the laws governing this country.
CDEDI feels vindicated that the recent gazatted measures were done in total disregard of our prevailing circumstances ranging from cultural, social and economic factors therefore one can safely describe them as best example of copy and paste kind of approach to contain the pandemic.
It is total hypocrisy, therefore, for him to expect Malawians to strictly follow the preventative measures when him as a number one citizen is unable to do the same. Is the president sending a message that the guidelines are meant for the poor people that do not have names? This brings to mind a call CDEDI made in the recent past that Chakwera’s government is stuck in selective application of justice.
Although CDEDI is aware that Chakwera is currently enjoying immunity but certainly he is not above the law and as first citizen he should lead by example by respecting the laws and regulations governing this country.
CDEDI would like to caution the president that the oath he took on June 28,2020 is still legally binding therefore any attempt to undermine the rule of law is a clear case of undermining the very same constitution he swore to protect and this behavior if unchecked has the potential to drag Malawi into a lawless state.
It is against this CDEDI demanding Chakwera to withdraw the newly gazetted Covid-19 measures since it is clear that they are unattainable from what everyone has witnessed from what has happened in Blantyre.
Secondly, CDEDI is giving President Chakwera 48 hours to apologize to Malawians for his failure as a leader to respect the laws of his own government thereby setting a very bad precedent.
Lastly, but not the least CDEDI is appealing to President Chakwera to desist from showing traits of arrogance the very same reason that forced Malawians to vote out his predecessor Professor Peter Mutharika since it is too early for confrontational and Malawians are not ready for another five years of executive arrogance and impunity.
BACKGROUND
CDEDI is a non-partisan, nongovernmental organization that was established in a quest to attain a well-informed and organized citizenry that can ably demand their social and economic rights at the same time hold duty bearers accountable for their actions.
Among many others CDEDI aims at sensitizing the masses on matters of national importance, inculcate the spirit of a peaceful coexistence among people of different ethnic, political and religious affiliations; provide civic education on people’s rights and responsibilities in economic independence and contribution towards national development and lobbying for the electoral law reforms.
SIGNED
SYLVESTER NAMIWA
CDEDI EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
0993462700
