Lilongwe District Council yesterday withdrew its earlier approval granted to Citizen Movement against Impunity and Corruption to hold demonstrations in the city.

In a letter signed by Lilongwe district commissioner (DC) Lawford Palani dated February 28 2022 addressed to lead organiser Sylvester Ayuba James, the council said after further consultation with various stakeholders, they observed that the intended demonstrations should not take place.

Reads the letter in part: “In this case the office of the District Commissioner is writing to you that it has cancelled the permission that was given on 25th February 2022. The permission has been cancelled because all the stakeholders have noted that the issue that you intended to demonstrate on is still at the High Court, Lilongwe Civil Registry.”

Members of the movement during the press conference

The grouping yesterday announced that the demonstrations are against corruption suspect Zuneth Sattar’s aide Ashok Ashok Kumar Sreedharan, popularly known as Ashok Nair.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) dragged Nair to court on accusation that he was the distributor of Sattar’s alleged bribes to politically exposed politicians, including ex-minister of Lands Kezzie Msukwa, who is currently on trial. The High Court quashed the arrest.

Nair last week filed a defamation case against Chizuma, in her personal capacity, based on an audio recording in which he says the bureau’s head made statements that damaged his reputation.

But speaking during a press conference in Lilongwe Ayuba James, who was accompanied by senior members of the movement, said the protests are meant to force the Ministry of Justice to give a consent order to the ACB to prosecute Satter and all those associated with his alleged corrupt acts.

 “It is plain to see that government is deliberately derailing the case against Satter. We need to do something about it. We will hold demonstrations at Capital Hill until government through the Director of Public Prosecutions [DPP] gives a consent order,” he said.

Ayuba James said the demonstrations are scheduled for tomorrow unless consent is given by the DPP.

Centre for Democracy Watch National Coordinator Levy Luwemba, who attended the briefing, said they will join the demonstrations.

“Corruption is the vice that has derailed development in the country because money is going into the pockets of the few,” he said.

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