LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The Centre for Multiparty Democracy (CMD) on Monday was optimistic of the Political Parties Bill tabling in the current sitting of Parliament.
CMD assurance comes following the general public interest on the status core of the bill a head of 2019 elections.
The bill aims at striving for the development of a well-functioning multiparty political system and promotion of accountable political parties in Malawi.
Addressing the news conference in capital Lilongwe CMD Executive Director Kizito Tenthani said the bill needs to be passed into the law if the country’s political system is to be transformed for the better.
Tenthani observed that since 2010, as part of discharging its mandate, the organization has been facilitating dialogue around the issue of the regulation of the political parties among its members and other stakeholders regarding the bill.
He said the dialogue established for the regulation of political parties towards the contribution that the political parties make to the consolidation of democracy in the country.
According to him, political parties and Legal affairs Committee of Parliament agreed to have further discussions on the issue which prompted CMD to believe that the bill will be passed in Parliament if tabled.
The CMD director assured all political parties in the country that the bill provides conducive environment for them to work perfectly in the country.
“Our expectation is that this bill will passed because the political parties and legal affairs committee of Parliament have shown interest on this while Leader of Opposition in the house pledged to have further discussions on this,” he explained.
“CMD expected that the bill would be tabled in the National Assembly in 2016 but this did not happen but this time there are expectations that the bill will tabled”, said Tenthani.
Among others key issues in the bill including regulating handouts, deregistered of political parties and disclosure of source of funding.
The bill is also amongst outstanding bills the general public expects government to table in the current sitting plus electoral reforms Bill.
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