By Robert Kumwenda
A couple of months ago a grouping of political parties held a press conference in Lilongwe where they accused the current administration on a number of issues and they gave time frame to the government to address those issues saying that failing which they take unspecified action.
Barely within a short period of time the quasi-religious body Public Affairs Committee (PAC) had meeting where they accused government for failing to address the social economic and governance issues affecting Malawians.
At a meeting which the President addressed in Lilongwe he accused PAC of being used by some political party leaders to advance their political agendas and he went on asking PAC to form a political party because it has left its core duty of representing the views of Malawians.
Professor John Chisi Umodzi Party (UP) leader accused some political leaders of using anger to accuse government on everything to achieve their political ambitions a thing which he said can never happen.
He also urged the Civil Society Organizations (CSO’s) to remember that their role is to provide checks and Balances to the government and one of doing that was through contact and dialogue which they refused.
On the September 21 the CSO’s went ahead to hold the demonstrations despite an olive branch which government gave them that the issue should be resolved through contact and dialogue through a committee that was established by the President.
There was a low turnout of people in the September demonstrations as compared to April’s demonstrations a thing which the UP leader said this showed that people have lost trust in the CSO’s because they have realized their aim is to get rid of the current leadership so that they should put someone they have in their mind.
On his way back to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika blamed the CSO’s for holding the demonstrations and he even said was happy because they flopped saying that this should be the last time.
On the other hand one of the Human Rights Defenders Gift Trapence has since said that they will continue holding demonstrations on a number of issues affecting Malawians because it is their constitutional right.
