HRDC deregistered as NGO

Just days after announcing plans to hold nationwide demonstrations, the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) has been deregistered as a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) by the government.

The coalition has received an official deregistration letter from the Non-Governmental Organizations Regulatory Authority (NGORA), formally ending its status as a registered NGO.

However, HRDC Chairperson Michael Kaiyatsa says the move will not stop the organisation from carrying out its activities, arguing that the deregistration only affects its NGO status and does not strip it of its identity as a Civil Society Organisation (CSO).

Kaiyatsa has maintained that HRDC will continue advocating for the rights of Malawians despite losing its NGO registration.

He has also insisted that the deregistration will not affect the coalition’s planned demonstrations, arguing that the right to organise protests does not depend on registration as an NGO.

Speaking to local media, Kaiyatsa said the decision did not come as a surprise, claiming NGORA had been determined to deregister the organisation regardless of the explanations it provided.