Former Vice President under the People’s Party regime Khumbo Hastings Kachali has urged the Government to allow citizens especially northerners to freely debate on federal system of government.

Kachali disclosed this in a statement posted on his official Facebook page.

“It is my belief that in a democratic dispensation such as ours, where express free-will of the people is paramount, citizens and especially northerners should be allowed to debate secession and/or federalism freely.

“This should culminate into a vote where the citizens will be allowed to express their wishes without fear or favour. It is important that during this time, when we are debating the merits and demerits of federalism and/or secession, no one and I mean literally no one, should be threatened in any way,” reads the statement in part.

He said secession has been given prominence due to the deliberate continuation of “Malawi Government’s bad and discriminatory policies that have resulted in the people of the northern region being persecuted left, right and centre”.

“If you are to properly check, you will discover that quota system, despite the DPP promising to abolish it, is still there, form 1 selection into National Secondary Schools discriminates against the North, appointment of only 2 northerners to the cabinet, nepotistic appointments to senior public offices where NO northerner has been given any prominent position”, said Kachali.

Speaking during Press Conference last week at Kamuzu Palace President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika said he will allow the citizen to decide on the matter but he will not allow other people to take advantage of the issue and bring confusion in the country