Malawi protesters put students first, suspend demonstrations
Concerned Citizens of Malawi, a civil society group, has announced the postponement of their planned national shutdown demonstrations, initially scheduled for July 10, 2024.
The decision was made to avoid disrupting the ongoing Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) examinations.
Group leaders, Edward Kambanje and Oliver Nakoma, addressed a media press conference in Blantyre on Friday, reading from a joint statement.
“We hereby announce the postponement of the demonstrations initially set for July 10. We have considered the potential disruption to the ongoing MSCE exams and have decided to reschedule to a later date,” Kambanje said.
The postponement follows calls and the voice of reason from Civil Society Education Coalition (CSEC), parents, school owners and concerned stakeholders who have been asking the group to reconsider the timing of their demonstrations.
“We have listened to the concerns of these stakeholders and have decided to put the interests of the students first,” Kambanje said.
When asked about allegations that they had received money from political parties to postpone the demonstrations, Kambanje furiously dismissed the claims.
“We cannot be bought by anyone. We are a group of concerned citizens who are driven by the desire to see a better Malawi.
“We have listened to the voice of reason from concerned Malawians who asked us to consider the impact of our actions on the students, and we have put the demonstrations on hold accordingly,” he emphasized.
Nakoma added, “We recognize the importance of education and do not want to compromise the students’ ability to complete their exams without any disruptions. We will announce a new date soon.”
The development has been welcomed by Malawians, who have praised the group’s consideration for the students.
“This shows that the Concerned Citizens are genuinely interested in the welfare of Malawians, especially the students,” said a Blantyre resident.
The group’s statement emphasized their commitment to peaceful protest and democratic engagement, acknowledging the importance of education and the need to avoid any harm to students.
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