Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) vice-president responsible for Central Region Alfred Gangata and education and child rights activists have agreed to defer demonstrations planned for today to avoid disrupting Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) examinations.
Making the announcement in Lilongwe yesterday, education and child rights civil society organisations (CSOs) said the compromise followed an engagement between Gangata and the CSOs.
Civil Society Education Coalition executive director Benedicto said the agreement was reached after “frank and constructive dialogue” aimed at protecting the integrity of MSCE examinations.
“The discussions were heated, considering Gangata had already mobilised supporters across all regions—North, Centre, East and South,” he said. “We acknowledge that it would have been tough for him to convince his people to stand down, but he ultimately made a politically mature and humanly considerate decision.”
Kondowe commended Gangata’s willingness to prioritise the education of learners, saying it showed respect for national interests over partisan gain.
Another education activist, Limbani Nsapato, dismissed claims that CSOs were manipulated either by Gangata or the government, saying: “The CSOs have neither been used by Gangata, in case he was not serious, nor bought by government machinery to frustrate his plans.”
The CSOs maintained that peaceful protest is a fundamental democratic right but called for greater responsibility in its exercise—especially during critical academic periods.
Meanwhile, the CSOs took a swipe at the State’s recent failure to ensure the safety of demonstrators, demanding that President Lazarus Chakwera act swiftly.
They also urged the President to issue a public assurance of safety for civic actors in the lead-up to the September elections and called on all political stakeholders to champion issue-based campaigning.
The cancelled demonstrations were meant to express dissatisfaction with growing violent attacks on peaceful demonstrators over various governance issues by alleged state sponsored thugs.
