Govt for dialogue with CSOs
Minister of Information, Tourism and Culture Kondwani Nankhumwa says government is failing to understand why civil society organisations (CSOs) still want to take to the streets when they are ready to dialogue with them.
Speaking in an interview in reaction to today’s demonstrations against the National Aids Commission (NAC) grants to First Lady Gertrude Mutharika’s Beautify Malawi (Beam) Trust and tribal group Mulhako wa Alhomwe, Nankhumwa said the seven-day ultimatum given by CSOs was not considerate.
He said: “As government, we are here and ready for discussions, but we are wondering why they [CSOs] are rushing to the streets. The issues being raised could not be solved within the seven-day ultimatum and as government we are saying, let us talk.”
But CSOs say demonstrations are proceeding as they had given government a deadline.
Speaking during a news conference in Lilongwe yesterday, Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) executive director Timothy Mtambo said the demonstrations are not a joke and will take place in all the five scheduled districts.
In November 2014, NAC gave a grant of K5 million to Beam and K9 million to Mulhako wa Alhomwe which counts President Peter Mitharika and some Cabinet ministers among its members.
CSOs demanded a refund to NAC, a call the two organisations rejected.
Last month, a group calling themselves ‘Friends of Beam’ returned the money on behalf of Beam through the Human Rights Consultative Committee (HRCC), but NAC rejected the money, saying procedures were not followed. n
