By Vincent Gunde
President of Muvi wa Chilungamo Revolutionary Party (MRP) Bantu Saunders Jumah, says Treason was done in the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) government of the late Ngwazi Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda that all against him were regarded as enemies of the country.
Jumah said it is sad that after Malawi attained multiparty democracy in 1994, some people have found a way of intimidating others that holding demonstrations against the sitting President, warrant to Treason charges in Malawi.
He has since appealed to District Commissioners not to use treason in their letters to activists as they are notifying them on the planned demonstrations against the sitting president who is working contrary to the wishes of the voters.
Speaking through his face book to millions of Africans commenting on the letter wrote by District Commissioner for Lilongwe Dr. Lawford Palani to Malawi First stopping them from holding street protests to Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe to deliver a petition to President Chakwera, Jumah has reminded all that holding demonstrations are provided for in the constitution of the Republic.
In the letter, Dr. Palani said it is treason for Malawi First to go and march towards the State House describing this as “Treason” arguing that probably the DC does not know the Constitution or has chosen to ignore the contents of the Republican Constitution.
Jumah said there is no offence for marchers to go towards the State House to present their petition saying the law allows the marchers to stand at 100 meters away from the State House claiming that activists and protesters were all aware of this law.
He has asked Dr. Palani to explain to Malawians where is the treason case committed by activists and protesters set to go towards the State House describing him as a treasonous public officer breaching the Republican Constitution.
The MRP President says Malawi First was not wrong to present a petition to President Chakwera at the State House reminding Malawians that Dr. Chakwera told Malawians that if he fails to govern the country in 2 years, he will resign.
He said President Chakwera is now in his 3-year term office, Malawians have lost trust in him as their leader, he is failing to listen to the cries of the citizens, a petition has to be delivered to him to address the issues at hand.
“We are deploring the letter written by District Commissioner Dr. Lawford Palani, we are not in support of the demonstrations or against the demonstrations but the letter itself “Treason, the DC offended the Constitution,” said Jumah.
Jumah has finally appealed to all District Commissioners across the country not to abuse their powers reminding them that Malawi is in democracy where there is freedom of speech, association, opinion and the right to present grievances to the Head of State as their employee.