CHRR said in a media statement e-mailed to Nyasa Times that
allegations made by Mutharika linking the opposition MCP presidential
hopeful John Tembo to the mysterious death of some prominent sons and
daughters of Malawi in the likes Aaron Gadama, Dick Matenje, Twaibu
Sangala and David Chiwanga and Mkwapatila Mhango.
We strongly feel that the utterance by the Head of State that Hon.
John Tembo and the MCP are behind these deaths is not only baseless but
also a recipe to aggravate the already tense political arena that can
consequently result into political violence if not tamed, said CHRR.
The former administration of Bakili Muluzi instituted a Commission of
Inquiry of the death of the Mwanza four' and later prosecuted Tembo in
a case which he was found not guilty by jury trial at the High Court.
CHRR said the President can only establish a presidential inquiry to unearth what really happened to some mysterious deaths.
We feel that if indeed the President feels that the nation really want
to know the truth about these deaths then he has the powers to appoint
a Commission of Inquiry like he did for late Kalonga Stambuli to
unearth what really happened.
The national is really curious to know the truth of what really
happened but if the whole issue is turned into a political tool to
gunner support, then whole purpose is questionable and misplaced,
reads the statement.
The rights campaigners are proposing to the President that if his
accusations are intended for the good of the country as a whole he
could institute a Truth and Reconciliatory' Commission as a way of
facilitating healing and reconciliation.
However, they cautioned that such a Commission should not be a tool of witch hunting.
Further if the State President has been serious in addressing the past
why has he not supported the revival of the National Compensation
Tribunal for the sake of compensating all those who suffered under the
previous regimes? wondered the rights body.
We at CHRR feel his remarks are for political gains rather than
supporting the victims or survivors that are living very desperate
life. This is an insult to the victims who need support care and
sympathy, a statement issued by CHRR boss Undule Mwakasungula
reads.
The rights watchdog applaud Mutharika for instituting a Commission of
Inquiry into the death of Dr Kalonga Stambuli, who was a chief
executive of a Trade and Investment Bank owned by Muluzi.
However, CHRR faulted Mutharika on his recent outburst that the former knows something about this death.
The statement said Mutharika's allegations does not only defeat the
purpose of the inquiry itself but also sows seed of hatred among
political parties that can consequently trigger violence.
We feel the President is influencing the work of the Commission on
Stambuli's death and should refrain from commenting on their work,
said the rights group.
The body said Mutharika should stick to campaigning on policy issues other than character assassination.
We take note the President achievements in terms of economic
governance and we would like to urge him to articulate these issues
rather than personalities and character assassination that would not
only damage his reputation but rather the reputation of the DPP as a
party and Malawi has a whole, said Mwakasungula.
The rights campaigners remind politicians that for Malawi to have a
peaceful and democratic election they need to remember that in
democracy election campaigning is based on issues and not personalities.
Nyasa Times
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