By Watipaso Mzungu
A grouping of civil society organizations (CSOs) and concerned citizens have suspended demonstrations they planned to force President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera to fire some senior government officials.
The organizations, Social Revolution Movement (SRM), MzuzuYouthCaucus (MYC), Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) and concerned citizens Mundango Nyirenda and Zainab Hassan, were demanding the dismissal of the Inspector General of Malawi Police Services, Dr. George Kainja, Attorney General (AG) Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda and Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Dr. Steven Kayuni.
They were accusing the trio of blocking Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Director General, Martha Chizuma, from discharging her duties.
Addressing journalists in Lilongwe on Tuesday afternoon, CDEDI Executive Director, Sylvester Namiwa, who was leading his fellow human rights activists and concerned citizens, said they have decided to suspend the protests following Chakwera’s declaration that he is firmly behind Chizuma.
“We would like to give him [Chakwera] the benefit of a doubt and follow the events as they unfold. Therefore, we are putting on hold the planned vigils that aimed to force Dr.Chakwera to fire the DPP, the AG and the IG, since Justice Kenyatta Nyirenda’s High Court ruling has for now addressed some of the fears and concerns we had,” said Namiwa on behalf of his colleagues.