Cracks mar Malawi anti-government protests

Barely a day after the High Court in Blantyre, Malawi, threw a lifeline to planned civil society protests by lifting an injunction restraining them from taking it to the streets, the protests have been dealt a heavy blow after the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) withdrew from the anti-government protests scheduled for Wednesday.

CCJP’s disclosure came amid allegations of divisions in the civil society ranks whether or not to hold the protests after the collapse of the UN-mediated talks between government and the civil society organisations (CSOs).



CCJP National Coordinator Chris Chisoni said his organisation could not take part in the Wednesday protests because the Episcopal Conference of Malawi was yet to approve its participation.

“I can confirm we are not part of the process of organising the protests. I think there was need for all of us to come together and agree as to what to do after the collapse of the talks. We should have laid down the procedures because these mass protests do get the desired impact when they are very well organised,” said CCJP National Coordinator Chris Chisoni .

He went on to point out that the Episcopal Conference of Malawi had not and were still to approve CCJP's participation.

The organisers of the protests, however, were not fazed as the spokesperson, Mr Billy Mayaya, downplayed the withdraw saying preparations were going on well.