By Lusekero Mhango
National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) has expressed concern over aspirant Member of Parliament who are absconding debates in Karonga saying their absence is denying perspective voters their rights to hear the aspirants manifestos before going to poll on the 21st of May.
NICE made the concern recently in the district following a debate for shadow MPs at Karonga northwest constituency where only one aspirant from the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) out of the five aspirants turned up to the debate that the public trust organized titled Know Your Candidate.
Speaking in an interview district Civic education officer for Karonga Christabel Munthali, said despite having only one aspirant who turned up to the debate they are satisfied that they achieved their objective of having given people the chance to hear out the one aspirant’s manifesto.
“It is unfortunate that shadow MPs are choosing to shun the debates because we believe the debates are an important platform for aspirants to explain to their voters their plans when voted into power thus their absences is denying perspective voters hear them out,” she said.
According to Munthali, not all people attend campaign rallies hence debates are an important platform as they bring the candidates closer to the people and their voters.
In his remarks Daniel Chitonya Mwanyongo the only aspirant who turned up for the debate, hailed the debate for affording him the opportunity to sell his manifesto to the people who came.
Never the less the MCP shadow mp, expressed disappointment that his rivals failed to turn up for the debates.
“It is sad that my fellow aspirants disregarded the debates, I came because I was called by the people who I want to work for hence I’m delighted with the chance that they gave me to explain my development agenda for the constituency when I get voted in as a Member of Parliament,” he articulated.
