AAPI sets a date for fresh demonstrations against Presidential Immunity

Actions Against Presidential Impunity says they are planning to hold the mass demonstrations across the country as they are trying to remind the State President, Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera to fulfil his pledges.

The Leader of the group, Sylvester Namiwa who us also the the leader for Centre fir Democracy and Economic Development Initiative (CDEDI) told the journalists on Monday afternoon in Lilongwe that the fresh demonstrations will be held on August 18.

Namiwa said they need the President to scrap off his power and action on the High costs of basic needs such as sugar and bread. He said Chakwera is handling the challenges affecting Malawians with arrogance.

“We believe that if since the first petition that was delivered in December, 2020 to Dr Lazarus Chakwera through the Lilongwe City Council and the subsequent petition through the Chief Executive Officer of the Councils and his commisioners did not reach the state House because since then, there has been no work from the State House or OPC.

“It is, therefore, against this background that we are announcing another set of peaceful mass demonstrations on August 18, 2022 targeting State residencies.”

Namiwa added that the demonstrations are dubbed “Chakwera alandire chikalata” and he admitted that they will handle their petition to Dr Chakwera himself.

“Chakwera is fully aware that he is using broad powers in a Democratic country like a Malawi where the power to govern the country belongs to the Citizens. We give him these powers through a ballot where we cast our votes. Therefore, the President cannot pay a blind eye to the plight of the people and we will not allow him to get away with his promises and lies he made prior to court sanctioned June 23, 2020 Presidential elections,” added Namiwa.

The call for the removal of Presidential Immunity from the Malawi’s Constitution comes in a time when the country has been ailed with Corruption cases.

The government top officials such as the Vice president, Dr Saulos Chilima, former Inspector General of Police Dr George Kainja among others are complicated in United based business tycoon, Zuneth Sattar’s bribe cases.

Dr Saulos Klaus Chilima also raised the issue of amending the Constitution especially the Presidential Immunity section, a development that raised questions to Chakwera’s innocence in Corruption.