Give Chakwera a chance—Kazako
Minister of Information and Digitisation Gospel Kazako has urged human rights groups to give President Lazarus Chakwera a chance to transform the country.
The minister’s call follows an announcement by the Human Rights Ambassadors (HRA) that they will proceed to hold demonstrations in Lilongwe next Wednesday to force the President and Vice-President Saulos Chilima to step down.
The grouping, among others, also demands that Chakwera should call for fresh elections, having failed to govern the country
However, Kazako, who is also the government spokesperson, yesterday said the grouping will soon be shocked and embarrassed with the high level of success the administration will achieve.
He said: “We hope when that time comes, they will remember what they are doing today and swallow their pride and shake our hands and accept they were wrong, they underrated us.
“Our success will be so huge and conspicuous that they will be embarrassed to look President Chakwera in the eye.”
But HRA director Charles Ben Longwe cited the high cost of living and shortage of essential commodities such as fuel, forex and medicine in the country’s hospitals as signs that the President has failed to govern.
He said: “It is Chakwera himself, who pledged to step down, if he failed to develop the country in the first two years. So, he must step down.
“Our only suggestion to end the challenges the country is facing today is for Chakwera to go. We are suffering because of his poor leadership.”
The planned protests are expected to start from Wakawaka via Old Town (Area 3), to Parliament Building where the civil rights group will make a speech and then proceed to Capital Hill to deliver a petition.
Echoing Longwe’s sentiments, another HRA member Kingsley Mpaso said the Tonse Alliance administration lied to Malawians just to woo votes.
“We have delivered so many petitions and it seems they don’t care, we will continue to mobilise Malawians until our concerns are heard,” he said.
Meanwhile, the grouping has presented a letter to the office Lilongwe district commissioner notifying him of the planned demonstrations.
