Ex-Malawi Young Pioneers have given government two weeks to settle terminal benefits for a thousand officers’ failure which they will stage national wide protests.

This comes as government has not been paying them since January when about 400 were paid.

According to Chairperson for Ex-Malawi Young Pioneers, Franco Chilemba, government has not been responding to their concerns despite a series of letters.

‘’This has been our concern that they haven’t been paying us but making promises about dates when payment would be processed. We feel bad now and are demanding answers in two weeks before we stage protests,’’

Previously, the Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Development, stated that it would only be paying those with proper documentation.

However, according to Chilemba, the current pioneers who have not been paid have all necessary paperwork.

There was no immediate comment from government.

The MYP, established in 1965, and their Commander-in-Chief was President Hastings Kamuzu Banda.

They originally were supposed to function as a national youth service program with a development agenda.

However over time, they stayed away from this agenda and became an intricate network of espionage and terror.

Pioneers bore arms, conducted espionage and intelligence operations, and were Kamuzu Banda’s most trusted bodyguards.

Following the Amendment Act of 1992, the group was incorporated into the Civil Service.

It was disbanded in May 1994, after Operation Bwezani mounted by the Malawi Defense Forces (MDF) in 1993.