A consortium of good governance and human rights activists has made a glaring call for the need for the civil society to go for dialogue other than protests and vigils.
This follows recent vigils that people held at the Capital Hill in push for the resignation of Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda, the Attorney General in demand for accountability on a botched K750 million fertilizer deal.
Speaking to the media, Henderson Mhango, one of the activists who is also Southern region Coordinator for the Human Rights Defenders Coalition says their view comes in the wake of what appears to failed attempts for societies to hold either vigils or demonstrations.
He said while people have rights, their call is that the societies need now to push for dialogue instead of demonstrations, protests of vigils.
‘’We all understand that ever person is entitled to their opining and rights to demonstrate, but our principle is that before resorting to such action, we need to give a room for contact and dialogue and it is in Lilongwe at the just ended vigil. Our stand is that while doing, so, we continued to derail national development and peace,’’ he said.
On his part, Ceaser Kondowe, who is also the secretary for the Forum for Democracy and Rights Defenders said the concern has also come as the international community is overtime getting bad impressions about Malawi and its human rights exercises.
He said the call does not mean they are in any way undermining taking authorities to task.
‘’We are not against taking a watchdog role we should be doing but we feel we must as a nation go the way for dialogue,’’ said Kondowe.
In Shaibu Ajasi, Chief Commissioner for Islamic Commission for Justice and Freedom who says so far, their call resonates with other development efforts that the nation has in place.
‘’We should as a nation be looking at alternatives to address misunderstandings that come through. That way, our view is that we shall find lasting solutions to our problems, ‘’ said Ajasi.
