Maravi

Mangani mocks CSOs for honking against Chiluba’s acquittal

Mangani mocks CSOs for honking against Chiluba’s acquittal
Written by Ernest Chanda
Saturday, October 10, 2009 4:32:10 PM

HOME affairs minister Lameck Mangani on Thursday mocked civil society organisations and members of parliament who honked last week in protest against Frederick Chiluba’s acquittal. Debating the President’s opening speech to the fourth session of the 10th National Assembly, Mangani also accused civil society organisations of being professional marchers.

He said he would switch off his phone if any protester tried to call him for help the next time they got arrested by police.

“My ministry, through the Registrar of Societies, is responsible for the registration of all civil society organisations in this country including political parties. If you want to form a political party please indicate by making your name clear. Don’t hide your political party names in other people’s names, no this is a democratic society and no one will stop you,” Mangani said.

“My ministry shall not take kindly to NGOs [Non Governmental Organisations] that abandon their mission and take up something totally different. There are some people in this country who have become professional marchers. If journalists are marching they are also there, if students are marching they are also there; and if nurses are marching they are also there. I want to warn these professional marchers that we will deal with them. We shall have you arrested and if you try to ring me for help I will be outside coverage area.”

And winding up debate on the same motion, Vice-President George Kunda boasted that his government’s commitment to the fight against corruption was intact.

“The fight against corruption is unwavering and still intact. We have made several strides in fighting corruption and that’s why we launched the new Anti Corruption Policy,” Vice-President Kunda said, amidst shouts of ‘hear, hear’ from the Executive’s side.

“We shall fight corruption and financial crime in accordance with the tenets of human rights. We shall respect human rights and we shall respect the decisions of the courts.”

Labels: CHILUBA, DEMONSTRATION, LAMECK MANGANI

posted by MrK @ 3:32 PM