Malawi activists claim success over stay-away

Coordinator of the Malawi three-day "stay-away" strike, Billy Mayaya—of the Civic and Political Space Platform, says the activists were pleased that workers heeded the call to press the government of President Bingu wa Mutharika to respond to their 20-point demand.

Mayaya said the first day of the stay-away action was “deeply encouraging”.

"We are satisfied that the majority of Malawians chose to stay away from work in solidarity with the civil society appeal," Mayaya told Nyasa Times on Wednesday.

He said the stay-away is "voluntary" to help put pressure on Mutharika government "to start listening to cries of its people."

Martha Kwataine: Malawians are angry

Mayaya hoped the positive response on Wednesday encourages other workers to pursue a similar course of action up to weekend.

Nyasa Times correspondents in cities of Blantyre, Lilongwe, Zomba and Mzuzu said while the stay-away action on Wednesday was not resounding success, it was not a flop a either as shops, banks and even some government offices were closed across the country.

But the civil society leaders said they were very proud and impressed by the bravery and resilience shown by Malawians to hold vigils at their homes in the face of state oppression.

Martha Kwataine of the Malawi Equity Health Network (Mhen) said it was clear that that "the anger in people is very strong."

Malawi government has condemned a stay-away protest called by the civil society.

Presidential spokesman Hetherwick Ntaba said the mass action amounted to illegal national strike which would hurt the ailing economy.

Ntaba claimed the civil society resorted to stay-away action because here was "no popular support for the vigils."

He also said the stay-away was a flop, saying Malawians are going about their normal activity.

Ntaba warned that those absconding from work will attract employers' wrath.

The civil society groups are protesting what they call poor economic and political governance, deteriorating freedoms, harassment of human rights activist and government critics. They are also protesting against bad laws.

Activists also want President Mutharika to respond to a petition calling on him to account for his wealth, address the chronic fuel and dollar shortages that have added to the misery of the poor and restore diplomatic ties with former colonial master and major aid donor Britain.

Security forces patrolling empty streets

Nyasa Times 21 Sep, 2011

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Source: http://www.nyasatimes.com/malawi/2011/09/21/malawi-activists-claim-success-over-stay-away/
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