President Peter Mutharika has ordered Malawi Defence Force MDF and Malawi Police Service MPS to stop Human Rights Defenders Coalition HRDC and opposition political parties from demonstrating in borders and airports of Malawi.
Mutharika said this during commissioning of 6 warships of Malawi Republic in Monkey bay in Mangochi district and two of them have been named after former president Bakili Muluzi SMR Muluzi and the incumbent president SMR Mutharika.
He has accused opposition politicians of attempting to overthrow government through HRDC saying “holding demonstrations in boarders of Malawi is a threat to national security.”
Mutharika then called on all opposition political parties to respect Malawi presidency.
He appealed to Malawians to refuse evil forces to destroy the country in the name of demonstrations.
Commenting, Chancellor College based political analyst Earnest Thindwa has described Mutharika’s order as abuse of power.
Thindwa questioned the rationale of the president to stop demonstration saying “it is the right enshrined in Malawi constitution.”
He therefore advised Mutharika to provide enough security to citizens for them not to be affected by the demonstrations if there will be violence because of his order.
One of the legal experts in the country said president has no power to use directive on the expense of human rights.
Chancellor College law lecturer, Associate Prof, Edge Kanyongolo, made the remarks after the State President Prof Peter Mutharika directed MDF and MPS to use any necessary force on next week’s demonstrations.
Kanyongolo said there are other constitutional avenues which can restrict human rights but not the presidential directives.
“In 2012 High Court also ruled that the president does not have such mandate,” Kanyongolo cited
Meanwhile human rights activist Robert Nkwezalamba says Mutharika directive can be seen in two angles.
“As commander of Malawi defense forces Mutharika has got the power to give directive to MDF but if he uttered the directive as a politician there is need for legal interpretation to determine whether he is right or wrong,” explained Mkwezalamba
Reacting, government has dismissed efforts by some people who are trying hard to misrepresent directives that president professor peter Mutharika made on plans by Human Rights defenders coalition to disrupt airports and borders through demonstrations.
Minister of information, civic education and communications technology Mark Botomani says no one has a basis for accusing him of being against peaceful demonstrations or contravening any law.
“HRDC supported by Malawi Congress party and UTM have held several demonstrations in Malawi without resistance from the president and his government despite them being violent and destructive,” Botomani expressed
He reiterated that government allows peaceful demonstrations only and the same should not violate other existing rights.
He further says plans to disrupt borders and airports borders are not in the spirit of peaceful demonstrations but aim at undermining the state and threatening national security.
The information minister has stressed that “government will not allow that national security be breached and rights of those not taking part in demonstrations subverted.”
Botomani has emphasized that the right to demonstrate is not a supreme right.
He has assured the general public and international community that measures have been put in place to ensure airports and borders continue to operate normally during the period of the planned demonstrations.
Botomani has warned organizers that the demonstrations should be called off unconditionally and any attempt to proceed with them will be met with force.
Commenting, Ministry of Homeland Security has said airports and borders will operate next week though Human Rights Defenders Coalition HRDC plans to shut them down.
Minister Responsible Nicolus Dausi made the remarks on Friday 23 August 2019 during a press briefing at Capitol Hill in Lilongwe to inform the public on national security.
Dausi said Malawi will provide full security to those protected places and the workers.
He said closing Airports and Boarders is treason hence appealing to all Malawians to not to participate in the shutdown.
“Such demonstrations threaten Malawi’s reputation of peaceful country and affect investment as well as economy,” Dausi stressed
He said Malawians have the right to travel and conduct businesses without any destruction
Meanwhile, International Monetary Fund has cancelled its mission visit to Malawi due to security concern
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