Malawi braces for protests against reforms
2013-01-17 15:24
Blantyre - Heavily armed riot police were deployed on the
streets of Malawi's major cities on Thursday as the government braced for
protests against tough reforms designed to right the economy and win back
investors.
In Blantyre and Mzuzu eyewitnesses said riot police had been
deployed along the routes the marchers were expected to take. In Lilongwe, the
administrative capital, protestors were to gather at the district
commissioner's office.
Many Malawians are feeling the pinch from economic reforms
that have been instituted by President Joyce Banda.
"Our chief concern has been the flotation of the kwacha
which has led to unreliable market prices and forcing the currency to slide down...
against the dollar," said John Kapito, the outspoken executive head of the
consumer group leading the protests.
The reforms, which are backed by the IMF, have "led to the
suffering of poor Malawians", he claimed.
Half of Malawi's 14 million population live below the
poverty line and the country is highly dependent on donors, who make up 40% of
its development budget.
One year ago similar economic protests descended into
nationwide rioting and looting that left 19 people dead.
Maximum security
Then the riots, to force the government of the late
president Bingu wa Mutharika to make greater reforms, were fuelled by anger
over chronic fuel and foreign currency shortages.
Against this backdrop police vowed to "guarantee
maximum security to protect life and property".
But while the situation remained tense, fears of widespread
unrest appeared to have been overstated.
Many schools, banks and other businesses opened normally,
although private schools shuttered their doors.
"We have called for peaceful demonstrations and we
assure the business community not to panic," said Kapito.
"We have deliberately taken routes where business is
not conducted."
- SAPA
