Mutharika, Ministers shun CSOs dialogue meeting scheduled for today

President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika and some Cabinet Ministers will not attend the dialogue meeting scheduled to take place at the Office of the President and Cabinet as demanded Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) under the banner Human Right Defenders Coalition.

On Monday this week, Office of the President (OPC) through Chief Secretary to the President Lloyd Muhara invited organizers of the Friday’s protest to a dialogue meeting scheduled for Yesterday Tuesday morning.

But the CSOs led by Timothy Mtambo proposed that the date of the meeting be shifted to today Wednesday afternoon.

The CSOs also set conditions and one of it being asking the President and his Cabinet Ministers to be available for the dialogue.

However, Presidential Adviser of CSOs , Mabvuto Bamusi said President Mutharika and Cabinet Ministers will not be available for the meeting.
He said the CSOs are asking too much.

On his part, Minister of Information and Communications Technology Nicholas Dausi in a statement said government has put together a high-level team of senior government officials that are more than capable to engage the CSOs in a fruitful dialogue.

“This being a technical dialogue process, the CSOs are assured that Government has put together a high-level team of senior government officials that are more than capable to engage the CSOs in a fruitful dialogue.

“Government is ready to collectively discuss with the CSOs during the early moments of the dialogue meeting the specific rules of engagement,” read in part the statement.

Meanwhile CSOs are scheduled to hold a press briefing on the matter.