With very little to show for what she does in office, Secretary to the President and Cabinet Colleen Zamba has invoked an old archaic one-party law that requires citizens to ask for permission to use national colours of black, red and green.Malawians including fashion designers have been coming up with attires that reflect their pride in national colours, but Government through Zamba says anyone who wants to use national colours should first write to her for permission.The Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) is very notorious in not answering any communications. The Investigator Magazine has 14 questionnaires that have been sent since March 2022 and no single acknowledgement has been issued.
“The OPC as noted with concern that some individuals, organisations or otherwise are using the protected emblems, colours, names or likeness contrary to the Protected Flag, Emblems and Names Act,” Zamba writes in a public statement amid ravaging cholera and food shortages that have hit Malawians.Zamba continues to warn Malawians of her deep concern and urgent priority to protect the use of flag, emblem and names; “ The law shall apply to any person, organisation or otherwise who shall contravene the Act,.”
In a social media post by Godwin Godweynz says Zamba wants Malawians to treat the flag as a protected species Pangolin which has led to dozens of Malawians to be arrested in the past two years.“In other words citizens should be afraid of their own flag or national emblems. These outdated laws we need to immediately delete them,” he wrote.
Police has been cracking down on social media posts and a journalist from Maravi Post was arrested earlier this month while a former State House IT manager Chancy Chingwalungwalu was picked for an online media article.The government popularity has waned due to corruption and economic mismanagement.
