Calls for dialogue by President Peter Mutharika to arrest the post-elections unrest have sparked mixed reactions with some supporting the gesture whilst others expressing reservations.
Mutharika said on Saturday, he was ready to dialogue with the opposition and human rights campaigners to restore the country’s peace.
“I am willing to work with anyone, the civil society, the opposition and anyone else to stabilize the nation. We have to have peace and that moves better with investors,” said Mutharika.
Presently the opposition Malawi Congress Party and UTM are challenging the legitimacy of Mutharika’s presidency in court whilst civil societies led by the Human Rights Defenders are demanding the resignation of Malawi Electoral Commission chairperson – Jane Ansah.
They accuse the Supreme Court of Appeal Justice of leadership failure when she presided over the May 21st general elections.
However, Eisenhower Mkaka secretary general for Malawi Congress Party has said his party does not see any point to dialog with government as the matter is before the court.
“In what capacity will he [Mutharika] be speaking to the opposition? Our take is that he is on that position illegitimately and ascended to the post illegal. We will only make a stand on these when the court makes a ruling on the matter,” said Mkaka.
But on its part the coalition has through one its senior members – Rev. MacDonald Sembereka express support over the proposal by the President.
Calls for dialogue have intensified in the recent months with the quasi-religious grouping, Public Affairs Committee indicating that it had been talking to all concerned parties on the matter.
Malawians have witnessed a wave of unrests after the May 21 elections as various stakeholders are protesting the authenticity of the elections as well as the general administration of the elections.