Protesters want govt to solve economic hardships

Police officers yesterday outnumbered protesters in Blantyre who were demanding President Lazarus Chakwera solve current economic challenges or resign.

The handful protesters, under the banner of Action against Impunity and Corruption, further demanded that the President call for a referendum within five days for allegedly failing to fulfil campaign promises.

The protest march started from Kamuzu Upper Stadium through Masauko Chipembere Highway to the Blantyre District Commissioner’s (DC) office where they delivered a petition.

The less than 100 protesters, were escorted by over 150 armed police officers. The three police vehicles were in front of an armoured police vehicle trailed them along the way.

Other police officers, stationed in some spots, also joined the protests along the way. The protesters, who carriedplacards denouncing Chakwera’s administration,  made several stops where they danced and chanted anti-Chakwera songs.

One of the placards read ‘mukunamizira nkhondo ya Ukraine ndi Russia’ (you are putting the blame on the Russia and Ukraine war) over failure to improve the welfare of Malawians.

As the protesters made their way through Blantyre central business district (CBD), business came to a standstill as shop owners closed their businesses as a precautionary measure.

The shop owners and attendants stood outside watching the protesters pass by peacefully.

In Blantyre CBD, the protesters chanted songs calling for the resignation of Vice-President Saulos Chilima for his alleged involvement with United Kingdom-based businessperson Zuneth Sattar.

Speaking after delivering the petition at the Blantyre DCs office, the group’s leader Steve Chimwaza, highlighted alleged corruption increase in the civil service, high fertiliser costs, high fuel costs, high price of maize and other commodities as evidence that Chakwera has failed.

He said: “The current leadership has failed. So, what we are saying is that the President must resign or else he should call for a referendum within the next five days. If he fails to do so, we will march to State House.”

Director of administration at the DCs office, Hastings Dowe, received the petition. He promised to deliver it to relevant authorities.

Presidential press secretary Anthony Kasunda referred the matter to Minister of Information and Digitisation Gospel Kazako who could not be reached for comment.

But Kazako, who is the official government spokesperson, is on record as having said in previous interviews that Malawians must exercise patience as Chakwera is fixing a country that was messed up by the previous government.

Several groups have in recent weeks been holding protests against the Tonse Alliance administration on numerous issues including the current high cost of living, corruption in the public sector, delays in implementing certain decisions and failure to fulfil some campaign promises by the current administration, among others.

Similar protests failed to take place in Mzuzu.