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                  Malawi Government Denies Bribery Allegation

   by Peter Clottey

   Malawi's information minister has sharply denied the government has
   bribed organizers of a series of planned nationwide demonstrations to
   suspend or cancel their scheduled January 17^th protests.
   Moses Kunkuyu says President Joyce Banda's government will not
   undermine the constitutional rights of the organizers.
   "That is what the government cannot do," said Kunkuyu.
   "Buying people off their plans to exercise their democratic rights is
   an infringement on the law itself. We cannot stop them by bribing them,
   no."
   Organizers of the protests are scheduled to hold a news conference
   Monday to address reports that they have taken bribes from the
   government to indefinitely suspend the demonstrations.
   The organizers say the protests are aimed to pressure Banda's
   government to jumpstart the economy.
   They said the demonstrations will also be aimed at protesting what the
   group says are the sharp rise in the cost of living, the high inflation
   rate and uncontrolled fuel pricing.
   Critics say the president has yet to implement austerity measures to
   reduce spending.
   Kunkuyu said the administration wants to address concerns of the
   organizers.
   "We have always said that the door is open for dialogue including those
   that are the forefront of the organization of the demonstration," he
   said.
   But he said organizers do not have the backing of the majority of
   Malawians to proceed with their protests.
   "Over 99 percent of civil society organizations have tried to encourage
   those that are calling for the demonstrations to cancel those
   demonstrations," said Kunkuyu.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/article/1583086.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/article/1583086.html