Tag Archives: Joseph Njovuyalema

Malawi, Politics, SADC, Top News

SADC-Parliamentary Forum sets model law to guide electoral reforms

Lloyd M’bwana

WINDHOEK-(MaraviPost)-The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Parliamentary Forum (PF) has set model law intends to guide regional states on electoral processes.

The model law is expected to be adopted by regional states parliament which will be embedded into already existed parliamentary laws.

Key components in the model law including Elections Management Bodies (EMBs), code of conduct, voting processes, civil education, electoral reforms and among others.

The SADC PF model law is emphasizing on EMBs which are required to be primarily formal independence and normative in their operations.

On independence EMBs, demands states legislating model law into existing laws while normative electoral bodies must make operate fully independence on their decisions and have protective budgets.

SADC-PF Vice President Joseph Njovuyalema told The Maravi Post upon arrival from the two week Plenary session in Windhoek, Namibia, that time was ripe the region to have universal law that guides electoral processes.

Njovuyalema who is also the main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) lawmaker observed that successful elections bring any nation’s stability.

The MCP legislator disclosed that upon arrival home he will submit the report into Malawi Parliament for endorsement for practical implementation of the model law.

He therefore added SADC PF supports electoral law reforms happening in the region saying it’s a wind blowing across the world.

“The SADC PF want member countries to integrate model law with their electoral laws because elections are indicators of good governance. This law is very important because credibility of any state lies in the credibility of elections,” said Njovuyalema.

The SADC PF Plenary session attracted members from 14 countries whom discussed on the model electoral laws and usual business of committee reports on various sectors including gender, education and among others

Malawi Parliament is expected to table and pass electoral bills into laws including Constitutional (Amendment), The Electoral Commission (Amendment), The Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government Elections, The Elections Management Fund, Assumption of Office of President (Transitional Arrangements) and Referendum Bill.

This follows the push, the country’s powerful religious body, Public Affairs Committee (PAC) had on government.

Politics

Kabwira snubs MCP NEC hearing over security reasons

Lloyd M’bwana
Jessie Kabwira
Jessie Kabwira-Snubs meeting

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)- The main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP)’s suspended spokesperson Jessie Kabwira has snubbed the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) disciplinary hearing which was slated for Saturday, October 8, to determine her fate.

Dr. Kabwira who is also a lawmaker for Salima North-West constituency told The Maravi Post on Saturday morning that she failed to honor the disciplinary call due to security reasons.

She hinted that there was no formal communication (in a written form) regarding the hearing which was scheduled at MCP’s headquarters.

“I just received a call from the party’s administrative secretary for the hearing today Saturday. But to my surprise, the call was simply verbal and not a formal communication (letter).

“In that call, there was no indication of my safety and particulars of the meeting. They just say, I should come at the party’s headquarters. This is what I am not comfortable with”, said Kabwira.

When asked about rumors of her joining the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Kabwira said MCP remains her ideal political path.

“Are these rumors really serious that I am joining DPP? Just look on how DPP has been treating me with this fake treason case which till now is failing to take us to court. I can’t sink that low and be naïve to join these people.

“I belong to MCP and will always be. This is the only party that has answers for Malawi’s social-economic challenges. It’s only that these minor internal matters doing us badly but shortly we will come together as one family”, assured Kabwira.

The Maravi Post understands that Kabwira’s counterpart Joseph Njobvuyalema honored the invitation to the hearing.

MCP Administrative Secretary Potiphar Chidaya however disputed Kabwira’s claims saying the party doesn’t have specific procedures of communicating to its members of pertinent issues.

Both Kabwira and Joseph Njobvuyalema were suspended in August for being accused of having a hand for the purportedly arson plot on the party’s headquarters structures.

MCP went further expelling Salima Central legislator Felix Jumbe long side some senior party officials including Denis Nathumba, Lyton Dzombe, Chatinkha and Azam Mwale from the party for being accused of sowing division in the party.

Meanwhile, treason and sedition charges leveled against Kabwira, Peter Chankhwatha and shadow MP Ulemu Msungama were on Monday this week, their bail extended to December 5, 2016 pending police’s thorough investigation on the matter.

This is the seventh time the Malawi police have extended the bail application which some quarters of the society has questioned the legality of the case whether the state has enough evidence to take the trio to court.

The development has angered the defense team which is planning to take legal action through the High Court in order to dispose the case.

Gustavo Kaliwo, the lawyer representing the accused disclosed that the police have failed to bring evidence against his clients hence seeking judicial review on the matter in the high court.