HRDC Vice Chairperson Gift Trapence fumes at Mutharika for banning anti-Ansah demos

Human Right Defenders Coalition (HRDC) Vice Chairperson Gift Trapence has described the banning of the anti-Jane Ansah demonstrations by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) led government as “a dream.”

On Tuesday morning, Minister of Information and Communications Technology Mark Botomani issued a statement banning the demonstrations.

Botomani said that “government has taken this decision considering that all recent demonstrations have turned out to be riotous despite assurances by the organizers that they would be peaceful.”

“Government would like to inform the public that it has decided not to grant permission for demonstrations planned by the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) to go ahead from Wednesday, 28th August 2019.

“As such, Government would like to warn all citizens to ignore any notice of demonstrations and not take part in the same,” reads in part the statement.

But Trapence described the directive as a dream.

According to him; “the constitution, which is the supreme law of the land provides everyone freedom to hold demonstrations”.

On his part, HRDC Chairperson Timothy Mtmabo urged government to go on and use force on protesters.

“The good thing is that all these things are being documented. We will know who to hold accountable,” he said.

Last week President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika ordered the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) and the Malawi Police Service to use force in stopping the airport and border demonstrations planned for this week.

The civil society organizations have been holding demonstrations across the country demanding immediate resignation or firing of chairperson of Malawi Electoral Commission, Justice Dr. Jane Ansah.

The grouping is accusing Ansah of failing to manage the May 21 tripartite election which saw President Mutharika being declared winner.

Meanwhile the case is in court.