The Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) has attributed the ongoing fuel crisis in the country to poor governance, corruption and a lack of political will.

In its end of year statement released today, HRDC has criticized the government’s plan to introduce a government-to-government (G2G) fuel procurement arrangement, describing it as opaque and questionable.

The statement which has been signed by HRDC national chairperson Gift Trapence and national coordinator Kelvin Chirwa, reads in part: “While the government claims to be exploring such an arrangement with Kenya, it must be noted that Kenya abandoned this system because it was deemed unattainable and unsustainable. This raises serious doubts about the feasibility and sincerity of the proposed approach for Malawi.”

The coalition has also condemned major political parties for allowing individuals with unresolved court cases to contest for leadership positions.

HRDC argues that while the principle of presumption of innocence until proven guilty is fundamental, permitting such individuals to seek positions of authority reflects a lack of clear ethical guidelines.

HRDC has also called for an urgent redesign of the Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP) to ensure efficiency, transparency and accountability, aiming to prevent a national hunger crisis.

The grouping also urges the government to collaborate with international partners to provide shelter, security and support to Mozambican asylum seekers fleeing violence in their country.