Different stakeholders are calling for President Lazarus Chakwera to unconditionally release social media activist Joshua Chisa Mbele who was arrested on Friday during anti-government demonstrations.
On Friday, Chisa Mbele led demonstrations in Lilongwe bemoaning increase in corruption by the Tonse Alliance government and economic woes rocking the country. Chisa Mbele, led the protesters to State House where they planned to deliver their petition.
However, there were misunderstandings as the District Commissioner Lawford Palani asked the demonstrators to deliver the petition to him saying he will be the one tom deliver the petition to the president. But Chisa Mbele protested and left the DC’s offices together with the demonstrators heading to the presidential residents. Thus leading to his arrest alongside others.
After his arrested, the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) penned president Chakwera to immediately and unconditionally release Chisa Mbele and others. According to the statement seen by this publication, HRDC reminded Chakwera that protesting is the human right basic as provided by the Constitution.
The Coalition described the arrest of Mbele and other as illegal “ought to be condemned in the strongest terms by all well-meaning Malawians.” Adding that the move is retrogressive and undermines Malawi’s hard-won democracy.
The statement also reminded the Tonse led administration that it once enjoyed and exercise the very same right it is today denying its own citizens to demonstrate.
“HRDC, therefore, would like to retaliate its call for the government to immediately release all protesters unconditionally,” read the statement.
The former ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has also joined the calls to have Chisa Mbele and others released from police custody immediately and unconditionally, as it says it is saddened with the arrests of the protesters.
The former ruling party claims that the only offense that the activists committed was to organize a peaceful demonstrations against the corrupt, incompetent and arrogant government of a right enshrined in the Constitution.
“BOMA ili la MCP lamalanadi. We are therefore not surprised with the wanton and unlawful arrests, all aimed at buying some lifeline while they silence Malawians demanding an end to massive looting, impunity and incompetence, regrettably, championed by President Chakwera and his vice.”
DPP has therefore called on Chakwera and his government to release the activist and others or risk demonstrations that will make Malawi ungovernable.
