Relentless the Human Rights Defenders Coalition-HRDC has issued a scathing end-of-year statement, attributing Malawi’s ongoing fuel crisis to poor governance, corruption, and a lack of political will.
In a statement signed by Chairperson for HRDC, Gift Trapence has condemned the government’s proposal to introduce a government-to-government (G2G) fuel procurement arrangement, labeling it “opaque and questionable.”
The coalition points out that Kenya, the proposed partner, abandoned this system due to its unsustainability.
The HRDC has also denounced major political parties for allowing individuals with unresolved court cases to contest leadership positions. While acknowledging the principle of presumed innocence, the coalition argues that this lack of ethical guidelines undermines the integrity of the political process.
He urges the government to redesign the Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP) to ensure efficiency, transparency, and accountability.
“This, we believe, will help prevent a national hunger crisis,” he said.
Finally, the coalition calls on the government to collaborate with international partners to provide shelter, security, and support to Mozambican asylum seekers fleeing violence in their country.
