A group of passport seekers has petitioned President Lazarus Chakwera to fire Minister of Homeland Security Ken Zikhale Ng’oma and Immigration chief Charles Kalumo within 15 days for allegedly failing the nation.
The group, under the banner Concerned Citizens of Malawi, marched in Blantyre onWednesday and delivered the petition through the district commissioner’s (DC’s) office. They observed that hacking of the e-passport system at the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services indicated that both Ng’oma and Kalumo failed in their duties.
During their march from Kamuzu Stadium upper ground through Masauko Chipembere Highway and Haile Selassie Road to Blantyre District Council offices, the group, led by Edward Kambanje, said the duo should either resign or be fired.
The march started with about 10 participants who were outnumbered by police officers that provided security, but the numbers grew as they paraded. The protesters carried placards some which read: ‘Give passports to Malawians to bring sugar into the country’, ‘Life in Bagamoyo: No passports, no driving licence, no food, no sugar’. They were also overheard chanting ‘Zikhale ndi Kalumo achoke achoke! [Fire Zikhale and Kalumo]’.
Before presenting the petition at the DC’s office, located in the same Government Office Complex with Immigration Department headquarters, Kambanje read some of the points which they want the President to address.
In the petition, the concerned citizens said Ng’oma and Kalumo allegedly misinformed Malawians when they indicated that the department had restored the e-passport system and resumed passport printing.
He said: “On behalf of Malawians, we demand the immediate resignation of the Minister of Homeland Security Ken Zikhale Ng’oma who has failed to come up with honest statements to Malawians and for failing to bring the suspected hackers to book if “indeed” they exist.”
