MZUZU-(MaraviPost)-Centre for Multiparty Democracy (CMD) has called upon the Office of the Registrar of political parties to peel off all the political parties that just appear in the files but are dead on the ground.
According to CMD Executive Director, Kizito Tenthani, the registrar of the parties is empowered by Political Parties Act to keep an eye on the activeness of political parties by seeing to it that they actively participate in political activities such as holding conventions and taking part in electoral polls.
“The best guide we have is from the Political Parties Act of 2018. It has put conditions based on which if a party does not satisfy those, it will be or it ought to be deregistered,” said Tenthani.
While echoing similar sentiments, the University of Malawi’s Chancellor College based political commentator, Dr Mustafah Hussein, feels the country needs active political parties for the growth and maturity of Malawi’s democracy.
Dr Hussein said: “The membership should be encouraged to be very active in these parties. So, in short, there is need to apply all the necessary laws and ensure that parties that are dormant or parties that are not active should be deregistered.”
Apparently, the Office of the Registrar of political parties reveals that plans to continue to deregister all docile political parties are under way.
Since the birth of multiparty democracy in 1994, Malawi experienced unprecedented multiplication of political parties; some of which have never participated in electoral activities.
Already, Chipani Chapfuko, The New Republican and Maravi Parties faced the chop.
