Today CDEDI held a press briefing in Lilongwe to call all well meaning Malawians to open up and freely share their true opinion on Covid-19 mandatory vaccination as the Ministry of Health has halted Mandatory COVID-19 vaccination campaign in order to allow more views from the public.

Mr. Sylvester Namiwa CDEDI Executive Director held the briefing together with Mr. Mundango Nyirenda, a journalist who together with CDEDI challenged the COVID-19 mandatory vaccination decision in court as well as Miss Zainab Hassan a concerned citizen.

Below is the full remark delivered by CDEDI Executive Director.

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LET US BREAK THE SILENCE ON COVID-19 VACCINE

The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) is challenging Malawians from all walks of life to open up and freely share their true opinion on Covid-19, particularly on the emotive issue about mandatory vaccination.

CDEDI is delighted to note that although its application to the High Court on the matter was dismissed, the Ministry of Health has halted the mandatory Covid-19 vaccine, which it announced in December 2021. This provides an opportunity to Malawians from all sectors of the society, ranging from scientists, legal practitioners, to the religious leaders, and, indeed, those with adverse Covid-19 vaccine reactions to speak out.

We have noted with dismay that all this long, government has been copying and implementing decisions that were neither based on science nor reflection of the citizens’ best interests.

Both the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the Tonse Alliance administrations have been implementing unnecessary measures which have not only hurt the economy, but also ignored realities on the ground and, in the process, the effects of such measures have led to needless loss of lives than the pandemic itself would have claimed.

CDEDI was forced to move the courts after writing the Attorney General (AG) seeking government’s position on what started as a silent policy of ‘No vaccine, no work’ that was being implemented by some public and private institutions in the country. Earlier, CDEDI wrote the Minister of Health on the same, but never got a response.

While we welcome the court decision to dismiss freelance journalist Mundango Nyirenda and CDEDI’s court application on technicalities, with costs, and not on substantive matters, our position still stands that no one should be forced to get vaccinated.

The following remain the harsh realities on the ground:

• Covid-19 is not the number one killer in Malawi.
• Covid-19 fight has overshadowed other serious diseases and health delivery challenges, the case of acute shortage of essential drugs and medicines in public health facilities.
• The mandates have resulted in unprecedented suicide cases, job losses, hunger and dehumanizing poverty levels, and the situation is worsening each passing day.
• Fear tactics have been used by the authorities to control the minds of the people. Malawians ought to be reminded that both democracy and science thrive on skepticism; therefore, they should question the very same things they are encouraged to fear!
• The veil of secrecy and unprecedented censorship surrounding Covid-19 poses a threat to the future of democracy and trust in the medical professional.
• Elsewhere in the world, particularly in Europe, 95 percent of Omicron infections have been recorded in those that are fully vaccinated.
• Three experts in virology, vaccinology, immunology and molecular biology, namely Drs Robert W. Malone, Vlandimir Zelenko and Geert Vanden Bosshe, have told Australian top government officials that apart from failing to provide the much-needed protection in human bodies, the Covid-19 vaccine compromises the natural immunity in the bodies of the recipient.
• Japan has developed its own remedy and it has since abandoned the experimental Covid-19 vaccines.
• Governments the world over have been forced to sign indemnity where the vaccine manufacturers refused any liability of whatever happens to anyone after getting the vaccine. This shows lack of trust in their own products.
• There are endless protests in Australia, Europe and America, pushing governments to stop Covid-19 mandates and learn to live with the pandemic.

Meanwhile, CDEDI is urging all those that were forced by their employers to get vaccinated, and those that have adverse reaction to the vaccine, to report to it such incidences.

Last, but not the least, CDEDI insists that everyone has their freedom of choice—to either choose life by getting the jab, or to choose life by abstaining from the vaccination. It should not be mandatory.

SYLVESTER NAMIWA

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

(0993 462 700)