The quasi-religious governance watchdog Public Affairs Committee (PAC) on Wednesday told Malawians that it will hold a peacefully demonstration to Kamuzu Palace, the official residence of President Peter Mutharika in Lilongwe, to present a petition over the missing of Electoral Reforms and Local Government Council Composition laws in the business schedule of the current sitting in Parliament.
PAC disclosed to the members of the press in Blantyre after its emergency board meeting.
PAC chairperson, Reverend Felix Chingota, said the organisation which has lobbied the government, opposition and the Speaker on the bills, met to discuss the way forward after noting that government has not included the bills on the agenda.
He said the clergy will be in their full regalia during the day.
“We are of the opinion that issues of elections are actually at the heart of national life and tampering with issues of elections is actually tampering with the lives of people,” said Chingota.
“After petitioning the President we will present another petition to the Speaker of Parliament, asking him to consider the two matters as priorities,” said Chingota.
Civil society organisations (CSOs), notably Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) and Centre for the Development of People (Cedep), last week appealed to members of Parliament (MPs) to boycott proceedings if the bills are not indicated on the business for the current meeting.
Opposition parties are firm on boycotting proceedings unless government commits to table the proposed laws.
The Electoral Reforms Bills include an amendment of Section 80(2) of the Constitution and Section 96 (5) of the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections Act proposing 50+1 percent majority in presidential election and an amendment of Section 81 (3) of the Constitution for swearing in of the President and Vice-President to be done after 30 days.
