Human Right Defenders Highlight New Demands Njaunju murder

The Human Rights Defenders Coalition Malawi has highlighted fresh demands to the government in response to the statement issued by the Joint Civil Society Platform for Governance.

HRDC’s statement was released on Monday and is signed by its chairperson Timothy Mtambo and his deputy Gift Trapence and endorsed by chairperson for the Central Region, Billy Mayaya, Madalitso Banda for the Eastern Region, Southern Region’s Masauko Thawe and Happy Mhango for the Northern Region.

The coalition has highlighted seven demands, including the immediate arrest of Minister of Homeland Security Nicholas Dausi so that allegations of his involvement in the torching of Malawi Electoral Commission Warehouse is established.

During one of his rallies in the Northern Region, the country’s vice president Saulos Chilima, who is also president of the United Transformation Movement (UTM), mentioned that Dausi as involved in the torching of MEC warehouses.

The CSOs also call for the dissolution of the Commission of Inquiry set by President Peter Mutharika on the abductions and killings of people with albinism.

“We demand the government publicly release the report regarding Njauju’s death within five days, failing which HRDC will utilise the Access to Information Law to force the release of this report.

“We demand the arrest of police officers linked to the killing of Buleya Lule. DPP government must immediately stop sponsoring NGOs to attack well-meaning and credible NGOs who are demanding accountability from the government. DPP government must stop linking HRDC to political parties since it is an independent organisation that does not incline to cheap political influence and affiliation,” reads the statement.

The coalition has further asked the Joint CSO platform to retract the assertions against HRDC within 10 days after which HRDC will seek legal redress.

In its pastoral letter released last week, Nkhoma Synod of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian also raised questions of government’s failure to reach to the bottom of the Njauju murder case.

But Minister of Information Henry Mussa avoided commenting on the matter, saying it is still under investigation.

Recently HRDC also protested Electricity Supply Commission of Malawi’s (ESCOM) awarding of a K675 million contract to IrrigWater and Mineral Equipment to demolish Escom house in Blantyre which was burnt in 2013.

Escom later cancelled the contract.

Source : Kulinji