‘HRDC never left the scene’
Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) will always be synonymous to the fall from grace of Peter Mutharika-led Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) regime. Just over two years ago, the coalition-led arguably the biggest ever anti-government protests after the botched 2019 Tripartite Elections. Consequently, the courts ordered for a fresh Presidential Election that catapulted Lazarus Chakwera to the country’s presidency. However, the coalition seemingly went into hibernation for a good two years before resurfacing this month with threats to hold mass protests. HRDC vice-chairperson MICHAEL KAIYATSA speaks to Weekend Nation on why all-of-a-sudden they have a ‘change of heart’. Excerpts:
Why has HRDC been silent over the past two years amid rising socio-economic challenges, including alleged poor governance practices?
HRDC believes in dialogue. We believe in engagement. We believe that there are more ways to change a given situation than just holding demonstrations. So, when President Lazarus Chakwera-led Tonse Alliance came to power, we gave them time. We knew they had a manifesto with which they wooed the public at large.
They made promises to Malawians. Obviously, they needed time to develop plans on how they are going to translate those promises into action. So for us, we felt the first year of their reign, including this second one, would be a good time to observe what was happening.
But some feel the HRDC is compromised, and that it cannot be trusted again. Look at some of your former leaders, including Timothy Mtambo, have been ‘rewarded’ with lucrative public appointments. Why should people trust such a grouping again?
As you may be aware by now, HRDC is a movement. It is and has never been a one-man show. Comrade Mtambo, just like the others before him, was never the first one to lead the coalition. And obviously, we, the current ones, are not the last. It is like ‘you take one out, and many others will emerge’. It is more of a relay race, with each running their race for the team.
We shall always remain grateful to the efforts of the team [leadership] before used to ensure good governance ensues in this democratic dispensation of ours.
As for us, we are here mainly because we believe in good governance being the catalyst of building a country’s socio-economic development with a bias towards wealth creation for all. We will never relent making the necessary noise against anyone standing between Malawians and their collective desired goals. HRDC is here for Mother Malawi. It is here to stay. HRDC never left!
The current socio-economic ills and the subsequent tensions have been exacerbated by the fuel shortage. Why is this the case?
Simply put, it is inefficiency on the part of government. Inefficiency. There is no better word than that.
Kindly expound because from where I stand, I know this is due to a global crisis caused by the conflict in Ukraine?
Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa, just to name a few are facing similar fuel challenges. But the issue is being managed better than we are here, if at all we are doing anything about it. This is why Malawi is on fire today.
We surely can’t expect to grow our economy, let alone attract foreign investment with such instability despite that we haven’t seen war in ages.
What I am saying is leaders there are taking charge. They are seen to be doing something about the situation, and that instills hope in a population.
You have called for mass anti-government demonstrations on December 7 this year? What is the main aim of the demos this time around?
To be honest, we can’t keep dethroning President’s willy-nilly and expect a sustainable development agenda for Malawi. In fact, the demos are not against President Chakwera, nor the others gone by against Peter Mutharika. They remain against impunity. The demos are actually a last resort to try and make the government listen and remember the promises it made to Malawi, for Malawians.
On the other hand, it’s unfortunate that in Malawi, reasoning is not commonplace. In an ideal setting, one should know that when they have failed, they have to resign by themselves, and never forced out. The standard practice in a mature democracy is that when you have failed to deliver your mandate, you have to step aside and let others come in.
As for this current government, which we believe a lot of Malawians continue to root for its success, it has a chance to deliver as promised. We know Rome wasn’t built in a day but at least there was a time the constructions were started. All we are saying is can this regime start to appear as if they care? It is high time they listened failing which, the same way they rose to power will be the same route they are going to fall.
