Activist Namiwa risks arrest over calling Malawi President Chakwera ‘a joker, time-waster and a comedian’
Inspector General of Police George Kainja has hinted that police have launched an investigations against outspoken human rights activist and head of the Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (Cdedi) , Silvester Namiwa, over disparaging comments he made against President Lazarus Chakwera in which he described Chakwera as a joker, time-waster and a comedian following his change of tune on the Cabinet reshuffle.
Kainja said head of CID at police headquarters had summoned Nyasa Times chief reporter Watipaso Mzungu over a story published on Nyasa Times April 2, 2021 in which he quoted a statement by Cdedi issued by Namiwa.
The police chief said Mzungu’s summoning over a story which was deemed critical of President Chakwera was just an interview which is part of their on-going investigation.
Said Kainja: “We are not investigating Watipaso in this but we were interviewing him for an investigation on something else.”
But Cdedi’s Namiwa has said he is not scared of the prospects of being arrested.
He said: “Malawi is no longer a one-party state which was characterised by rule of darkness, fear and death.”
Cdedi said Malawi Police Service (MPS) and President Chakwera should know that “Malawians will never be intimidated with such acts by the police, in a democratic state where everyone is supposed to enjoy freedom of expression.”
He said: “It is for this reason that CDEDI is challenging government that Malawi will never slide back to dictatorship and that CDEDI and it’s leadership will never retreat or surrender.”
Meanwhile, Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa)-Malawi Chapter issued a statement which described the police’s conduct as an attack on media freedom.
Misa-Malawi also cited another incident reported by Nyasa Times that happened on April 2, 2021 where Joy Radio journalist Enock Balakasi was detained for two hours by Kawale Police for covering and taking pictures at an incident in Kawale, Lilongwe where police were trying to bring order after a resident threatened to commit suicide.
The police accused Balakasi of carrying out his duties without seeking permission, deleted pictures from his phone and later released him unconditionally.
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Kungofina kumutchukitsa Munthu pazinthu zopanda pake. Koma Police yathuyi idzamva liyi? Idzachita reform liti kungokhala useless police basi. A Joker, Time waster or Comedian that is not insulting someone. APM I think ankanyosedwa more than zimenezi though kuti kunyozana sikwabwino but Chakwera is a Public figure so live that DPP activist
Kodi Winiko alikuti? Kapena wabwereranso ku uphunzitsi wake wa ku primary school after being used like a condom by UTMCP? Nanga Abiti shanil muluzi alikuti? Kapena ali likiliki kutola nkhanu mu Liviridzi river? Ana opusa awa zedi!!!!!
I don’t see any reason of arresting someone, by saying comedian, Joker and a time waster. Any of the words used, is just an expression and no insult is used to prove, that Namiwa has done wrong by expressing himself of what he is seeing in Chakwera. This is the freedom of speech were no insult is incited.
Those who were born around 1990 shall now be privileged to see nkhanza za MCP which they have been reading all these years. It is always the strategy of MCP to gag freedom of expression first and then apply full throttle nkhanza to it’s citizens. Soon we shall feel as if Malawi is not our country any more. Arbitrary arrests shall be common place. But what is the church and MAM saying in all this? Kodi Chakwera yu tizingomuyang’ana akumera mano chonchi????
Deeds are seeds… You called someone ‘prince of thieves’ nd people will call you names. You ascended by demonstrations, you go down by demonstrations. Anyway, I don’t condone what Namiwa did…
It will be stupid for this police to arrest this guy. Kainga must know better. Unfortunately our police has never changed an inch, and the Tone Alliance government will not improve this police. Too bad. The police should not be doing this bidding. Chakwera must call Kainja and tell him we are in a democracy where free speech is protected.
Don’t arrest that moron but every president deserves respect even if he is one time wasted
Ine ndikuwona kuti bwana president musamutengele munthuyu. Ndipo Ife ngati okutsatilani mukatero mutivetsa kukoma. Chomwe chimandisangalatsa mchoti munthu akakwera mungolo iye amalimbana ndi ng’ombe yomwe ikuguza osati ngolo. Zosezo zimathandizira kuti zinthu ziyende
I hope this is a joke! Don’t arrest this idiot. Please! A whole govt should never waste its resources on folks who obviously have an corrupt axe to grind after the gravy train have left them behind. His profile will be raised considerably higher were he to be detained for talking shit.
Chisiyeni chitsilu cha m’mudzi ichi. Adzachiyika maliro wopanda gule.
Infact his profile has been raised considerably higher, for instance I never gave the guy much attention until this time that Chakwera’s cadets have given him much attention. I never knew he was this important
It’ll be unlawful arrest. Freedom of speech is being deprived pamenepo. Chitsamunda chinene. Ku court namunati chani inu ma investigators. Kkkkk. Under trained, salvage policemen and women. Instead of kukapanga clean up ku ma police station anu ngati ku mortuary ngati mwasowa chochita. Office yapolice umve ku motury kumaonekanso bwino. Zimagalimoto zakufa asagulitsa bwanji ku maiko ngati ku rsa ku mascrap yadi ndi kugulira paint ndikupaka mumaoffice anuwo. Malo mongomanga ndi za zii ngati mukusowa chochita. Maoffice udzu ngati kumanda kumachita kuwanda aaa. Msizofunikanso zomanga ma office ena ndizongofunika maintains. Ku secondary school kulinso bwinonso. Koma Kamuzu anaferanji ine.Musiyeni Namiwayo… Read more »