Analyst Hails Mtambo’s Move to Join Politics

Social commentator Humphreys Mvula has said the activism world has lost a gallant soldier in Timothy Mtambo as he was somebody who was prepared to take advocacy to a very high level.

He explained that the former Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) Chairperson, will be gallantly missed as he has left at a time when he was needed the most.

On the other hand, Mvula stated that he has made a good transition as when one is involved in advocacy; they agitate for changes and set targets which they cannot implement and provide solutions.

“While in politics we are supposed to provide solutions; you suggest something, you talk about something and you get it implemented.

“So I think with the vast knowledge of advocacy, he may have positive impact towards the political world”

For some quarters who feel the former rights activist has betrayed them, Mvula differed arguing that the word betrayed is wrong but possibly he has left them in a manner where they were still expecting more from him.

According to him, where he is heading in the political realm, his decisions and choices of who he will work with will be more advantageous to Mtambo and the individuals as he will ensure that what is missing is included in manifestos of parties he will partner with.

He could not be drawn to comment much on his association with the Malawi Congress Party, UTM Party and HRDC and his endorsement of the alliance whose reasons the commentator could not speculate

Mvula feels an individual like Mtambo or anybody in his position eventually tends to aspire for political inclusion or taking part in politics.

He attributed this to the active role he took in leading Malawians in the anti-Ansah demos and the number of people that followed him and the ages of the people who participated hence does not have any problem with the switch from activism to politics.

Mtambo stressed that his movement Citizens for Transformation (CFT)-Power People Movement, will assist the MCP-UTM Alliance unseat President Peter Mutharika in the impending fresh polls.

Democratic Progressive Party’s Nicholus Dausi who was not surprised by the move said it is good that Mtambo has come out clearly as a politician.