(NYASATIMES) Bande supported Bingu’s demo directive

Bande supported Bingu’s demo directive
By Nyasa Times
Published: May 4, 2011

Malawi’s Minister of Lands and Housing, John Bande , who is embroiled in housing scam at MHC, vehemently supported President Bingu wa Mutharika directive that ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) member should hold street demonstrations in support of his unpopular deportation of British High Commissioner Fergus Cochrane-Dyet.

Nyasa Times sources learnt that Mutharika gave the directive at DPP National Governing Council (NGC) held on April 30 that the party functionaries should stage the demonstrations in all the three regions of Malawi to give the impression to the international community at large that people in Malawi are happy and supportive of his decision to expel the British High Commissioner.

Top government sources told Nyasa Times that the story which appeared in The Nation on Wednesday about the demonstration against British envoy was “credible.”

“Our colleague who always becomes over-zealous when in front of the President, Hon. John Bande, supported the President’s directive by adding that all of us Cabinet Ministers and NGC members should lead the demonstrations by walking in front of the marchers in our respective regions,” added a senior official of the party.

But presidential spokesman Hetherwick Ntaba refused to comment on the meeting which was held at the New State House.

The country’s opposition parties, civil society and religious organizations have widely and openly condemned the President’s decision to expel the British envoy as being myopic and potentially harmful to the country’s well-being. The British Government has since retaliated by ordering the deportation of Malawi’s acting High Commissioner to the U.K. Flossie Gomile Chidyaonga, who has since returned home. –Nyasa Times