Tag Archives: electoral reforms bills

Law and order, Malawi

Parliamentary committee tells PAC to shut its mouth on electoral reform demo

Special Absalom

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Member of the Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament on Wednesday told the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) to stop pushing for street demonstrations against Parliament for failing to pass the much awaited, electoral reforms bills.

This was said during a consultative meeting the parliamentary committee had with PAC at Parliament Building in Lilongwe on the Electoral Commission Act (Amendment) Bill which the National Assembly referred to the committee for review.

Mzimba South West member of Parliament (MP) who is also a member of the Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament said Malawians have lost confidence in the institution especially because of cancelling the same demos during the past Parliament session.

PAC postponed the nationwide demos which was expected to be hold 13 December, 2018 at eleventh hour after promised the executive promised to table and pass the bills.

The bills were shot down in the parliament by the government legislatures plus some ‘greedy’ opposition and independent Members of Parliament, a development forced PAC to reorganized the demos.

However, Kachali told PAC to stop the plan and instead should think of how it will positively contribute to the success of the 2019 General Elections.

Said Kachali: “Taking back to the streets the electoral reforms is waste of time. People have lost trust. Rather concentrate on how best we can help Malawians for a peaceful tripartite elections and also fight for the independence of MBC [Malawi Broadcasting Corporation] which has now turned to be a party broadcasting house which is worrisome as it brings conflict. So, if you go on the streets on this [MBC issue], I can assure you that I would personally join you, but not on the electoral reforms.”

Adding “Any decision taken at midnight is not a good decision. We thought that you were given money at the last minute and that money was not in kwacha, but in dollars in order for you to be silent.”

Responding to the concerns, PAC vice-chairperson Osman Karim told the committee that no money changed hands and that if money was given to them, they could have declared it and given the same to charity.

On the way forward, PAC promised to look at how it can contribute to peaceful tripartite elections as it foresees a tricky situation where there will be a narrow margin which they fear will bring a lot of conflict.

In his address to a visibly disappointed Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament, PAC executive director Robert Phiri admitted the last minute change was regrettable.

“We know that a lot of people have been victimised by that decision we made on that night. We erred. Administratively, the decision was right, but politically it was wrong,” he said.

Phiri said the cancellation was based on an analysis they did after looking at the whole thing which emanated from a petition they presented to Parliament and was received by Legal Affairs Committee chairperson.

He said: “In the petition, we stressed that the bills be presented and passed in Parliament. The time we presented the petition the bills were not even on the order paper of the House, but as we drew near [the deadline] Cabinet decided to present the bills. So, we awaited the debate having in mind that we did not want to be seen as being an influencing factor for the deliberations of the House.”

The Electoral Commission Act (Amendment) Bill was the only survivor from a set of Electoral Reforms Bills that Parliament rejected in December amid tension between government and the quasi religious grouping.

The others were Amendment of Section 80 (2) of the Constitution and Section 96(5) of the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections Act (PPEA) proposing a 50-plus-one majority in presidential election; Consolidation of PPE Act and Local Government Elections Act; Amendment of Section 81 (3) of the Constitution for swearing-in of President and Vice-President to be done after 30 days.

There was also the Assumption of Office of President Bill to provide for the establishment of a transition team before a President assumes office and; Amendment to Section 62 of the Constitution where each district would provide a single constituency in which only women would contest.

Malawi, Politics

PP continues weeding ‘greedy’ MPs from the party’s position; The latest is Welani Chilenga

Maravi Post Reporter

MZUZU-(MaraviPost)-Former governing People’s Party (PP) has cracked the whip on Chitipa South Constituency, legislator Welani Chilenga, who was among members of Parliament (MPs) who went against the party’s alleged stance to support the defeated Electoral Reforms Bills during the November meeting of Parliament.

PP has since ‘punished’ Chilenga by removing him from Natural Resources and Climate Change Committee in Parliament where he was chairperson.

The party through its parliamentrat leader Ralph Mhone, informed the Speaker’s office’ that Chilenga has been moved to Media and Communications Committee as a member.

Chilenga said the redeployment is a “punishment” for his vote against Electoral Reforms Bill including the proposed 50%+1 system of electing a president.

“The decision to join Natural Resources Committee was based on my expertise but I have no media or journalism expertise,” he said.

Chilenga said he will not reject his new posting in respect of “rule and procedures if political parties and Parliament.”
He, however, said there it “chaos” in PP.

Chilenga, who won on PP ticket, was during President Peter Mutharika’s rally in Chitipa recently where he was unveiled to the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) supporters as among the MPs who joined the government side in voting against the debating of the 50%+1 electoral reform.

According to PP spokesperson Noah Chimpeni, the move of Chilenga was normal and that he was once moved fron Natural Resources committee to another committee.

Some of the PP legislators who voted against or abstained the vote on most of the Electoral Reforms Bills included Rabson Chihaula Shaba of Mzimba South East, Ralph Jooma of Mangochi Monkey-Bay who was absent and expelled Uladi Mussa the Salima South MP and former interim president.

Jooma eventually quit his position as PP chief whip in the National Assembly.

MP for Zomba Central Patricia Nangozo, Machinga South East legislator Wilson Ndomondo, Wallace Chawawa of Zomba Chingale and Zomba Changalume MP John Chikalimba voted against the bills.

Lifestyle, SADC

2017 was challenging year to Malawians say political pundits

Special Absalom
Voting Bill
MPs ready to debate electoral reform bills

Political and economic pundits have described the year 2017 as challenging to Malawians and warned that things may get worse, especially if government fails to change its direction.

Among things that challenged Malawians in 2017 according to analysts include government’s failure to deal with corruption, end power blackouts, Electoral Reforms Bills, Zambia maize saga, regionalism, favouritism, crippling of health services in public hospitals, education interruption in both primary and public universities among others. Continue reading 2017 was challenging year to Malawians say political pundits →

Law and order, Malawi, Politics, Top News

Govt surrenders to PAC; 50+1 electoral reform bill to be in Parliament on Monday

Maravi Post Reporter

Government has disclosed that it will today (Monday) circulate the controversial fifty plus one electoral reform bill to the August house.

Leader of the House, Kondwani Nankhumwa said this on Sunday saying that the Cabinet finalised the scrutiny of the proposed laws on Friday last week.

Nankhumwa, who is also Minister of Local Government and Rural Development denied rumours that the decision followed the pressure by the Public Affairs Committee (PAC).

“We are circulating the 50-plus-one Bill and the remaining Bills on Monday. However this is not because of the PAC or public pressure,” said Nankhumwa.

Minister of Justice Samuel Tembenu earlier told some reporters that the executive will not bring the bill to the Parliament as it is still under scrutiny.

He said as government, they will not work under PAC pressure and that they are not afraid of their plan to hold demonstration as that is part of exercising their constitutional rights.

The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has been against the bill and it is alleged to have bought number of legislatures from opposition side to vote against it.

Leader of opposition Lazarus Chakwera reaffirmed his party’s commitment to have the proposed electoral reforms bill deliberated upon and passed during the current sitting of Parliament.

He said the proposed bills if enacted predetermine a good future for the country which is currently faced with huge economic and social challenges.

Chakwera also called for an extension for the current sitting of Parliament so that members of Parliament truthfully serve their constituents through deliberation of the bills.

Minister of Civic Education, Culture and Community Development Grace Chiumia is on record saying President Peter Mutharika’s administration is not in support of the proposed electoral reforms, especially the proposal to above the 50 percent threshold needed to avoid a rerun in the presidential election.

Meanwhile, different religious group, civil society organizations and two public Universities, Mzuni and Chanco have pledged to support the 13th December, 2017 PAC demonstration.

The demonstration is against Parliament failure to table the bill in the current sitting of Parliament.