(NYASATIMES) Demonstration against education quota ‘illegal’- Police

Demonstration against education quota ‘illegal’- Police
By Nyasa Times
Published: December 31, 2009

Police spokesman for northern region, Edward Longwe has denied reports that security forces stopped a demonstration of CCAP Livingstonia Synod against the education quota system. Longwe told BBC Focus on Africa on Wednesday evening that the protest could not be allowed because organizers did not get police permission.

“They didn’t even march out of their campus. What I understand is that they had a press conference just within their Synod campus,” Longwe said.

“They did not march,” he said. “The police were just in the streets, we wanted to see.”

Asked if the protest was illegal, Longwe said police did not grant the Synod permission to march despite that they were informed.

“If they marched today it could have been illegal,” he said denying reports that they used teargas to disperse the faith leaders.

Eye witness, Wesley Simwaka told BBC: “I saw the police the number were 30 or 40. They were all armed. We saw a number of reverends of the CCAP Synod were in their premises.”

Simwaka said: “They did not march, they were not even marching they were standing in their premises. From Synod Offices they went to St Andrews Church which is next to it.”

“The armed forces were much prepared, I don’t know what they wanted to do. They blocked their way.That people should come in on enter the Synod office,” explained Simwaka.

On his part, Livingstonia Synod deputy secrtyary general, Rev Maurice Munthali said the faith leaders were against university quota system.

“We are concerned because people have to work hard to earn the place in the universities or secondary schools. But in this particular case, they are only trying to reward people who do not even deserve places in the university,” Rev Munthali said

“This is very worrying on our part, it means killing people who deserve what they have to earn in life,” he said.

Asked by BBC’ Joel Nkhoma why they did not engage government in dialogue on the matter, Rev Munthali said President Mutharika (pictured) dismissed them.

“Last year on 11th November the CCAP leadership was with Bingu wa Mutharika where we were reasoning with him that they as a government should not go ahead implementing the quota system.

“But he lashed us, he was very angry, in fact he said ‘come what may, whether you like it or not, I am going to implement the quota system’.”

Mutharika says the domination by northerners in tertialy education has resulted in many jobs in public services taken up by them and has vowed to implement the controversial quota system.

The President argues that quota system will mean places will be more equitably distributed among students from north, central and south Malawi.