LILONGWE (Maravi Post)–The main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has asked the treasury to release funds meant for conducting by-election in Mchinji west constituency saying further delays in conducting the election is tantamount to violation of people’s rights to representation.
The demand comes barely 60 days after the constituency fell vacant following the death of MCP Lawmaker Billy Kanjira Banda. The country’s electoral laws are very clear that if the constituency is vacant, by-elections must be held within 60 days.
Few weeks after the death of the late MP Kanjira Banda, Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) released a draft calendar of events for the constituency’s by-election but the public was amazed with reports that the electoral body had no funds which the treasury refused arguing that MEC did not submit financial plan towards the exercise.
Meantime, Treasury and MEC are blaming each other over the availability of funds to hold the by-election prompting other quarters of the society to question government commitment towards promotion of democracy.
Addressing a news conference on Friday in the capital Lilongwe; Maxwell Thyolera, Eisenhower Mkaka and Alekeni Menyani; MCP’s Director of Elections, Deputy Secretary General and Public Relations Officer respectively questioned the wisdom behind the delay in conducting the said by-election despite funds availability.
The party accused the treasury of conniving with the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to play delay tactics saying that DPP is not ready for the exercise hence giving unjustifiable reasons for the delay.
“This is violation of the country’s constitution of electoral laws and people of Mchinji west constituency’s right to representation. The area needs someone who can initiate development projects through Community Development Fund (CDF) and Local Development Fund (LDF). A Member of Parliament (MP) is important to a constituency as they sign cheques for cashing funds especially on CDF. Therefore their absence for a long time is tantamount to holding people to a ransom for development.
“What has come to our knowledge is that DPP is not ready for the elections as its failing to feature a candidate as many they approached happen to be our members and they refused to take such gamble knowing that the area is for MCP. Unfortunately, the treasury has been trapped into the cage of violating the electoral laws,” observed Thyolera.
Echoing on the same, Mkaka hinted that the party would push for the release of the funds to hold the by-election by using all avenues until the matter was dealt with decisively but failed to disclose what further actions the party will take if treasury continue to play delaying tactics in releasing the funds.
Menyani added that the party was ready to participate in the elections following successful MCP primary elections held last month where a retired secondary school head teacher, Jephter Mwale beat the party’s big guns and former legislators including Theresa Mwale and Henry Fwataki.
Through the same press conference, MCP announced plans to conduct district elections in its six regional committees as party of party building process a head of 2019 tripartite elections which is slated for May 28, 2016 starting with central and lakeshore regions.
There was no immediate reaction from Ministry of Finance’s Spokesperson, Nations Msowoya and MEC’s Director of Public Relations Sangwani Mwafulirwa.