July 20 bereaved families plan demo against govt

After mourning their relations, July 20 bereaved families in Mzuzu have revived plans to hold demonstration against government.

The families earlier announced plans to hold demonstration during this year’s July 20 commemoration but they cancelled the plans as they did not serve authorities with a notice to hold the demonstration.

Instead, they observed the day by holding prayers at Zolozolo cemetery in Mzuzu to remember the lives that were lost in the July 20 2011 nationwide demonstrations against late Bingu wa Mutharika regime.

The families want to express concern over government’s failure to compensate them about K32 million for the lives that were lost but also loss of expectations.

Speaking in an interview yesterday, a member of the committee organising the demonstration, Juma Umali said the plans are at an advanced stage. He said the families want to protest government’s reluctance to compensate them.

“It is worrisome that government agreed to pay the people after the court ordered that they should be compensated but the same government has failed to show commitment,” said Umali.

He said members will be meeting on today to come up with a date when to hold the demonstrations when they should serve Mzuzu City Council notice.

“As affected families, we don’t understand why government is taking long to make the compensation. Our relations were killed long ago and the court ordered that the families be compensated. Though the amount is too little compared to the lives we accepted it and what is remaining is for government to fulfill that,” said Umali.

Lawyer for the families, Leonard Mbulo has since endorsed the move by the families to demonstrate next week saying it is their constitutional right.