Chief wants Recall Provision

Group village head Walamba from Paramount Chief Kyungu in Karonga has asked candidates in Karonga Central Constituency to consider reintroducing the Recall Provision (Section 64) in Parliament once elected in the November 10 by-election.

The chief made the call on Monday during a plenary session at a civic and voter awareness meeting for traditional leaders at Mlare in the district conducted by Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) commissioner Linda Kunje.

Walamba said parliamentarians promise many things during campaign but do not deliver once elected into office.

He said: “We are tired of being lied to by these politicians. Is it not possible for the electorates to be given the mandate through Section 64 to fire parliamentarians who fail to deliver their manifestos?”

But candidates hold different views on the suggestion.

While Independent candidate Florence Nthakomwa and Democratic Progressive Party candidate Ernest Mwalughali agree with the chief,  Malawi Congress Party candidate Leonard Mwalwanda and UTM Party candidate Frank Mwenifumbo expressed reservations.

According to Parliament documents, the section was repealed on the understanding that it may encourage witch-hunting and lead to abuse by constituents.

However, Kunje, who chairs the commission’s administration and finance committee, said since the section was repealed in 1995, it has never been brought back and it will require MEC commissioners through electoral stakeholders to see if it is viable to revisit the Constitution and re-introduce the piece of legislation.

She asked traditional leaders to tell their subjects to turn out in large numbers to vote for a candidate of their choice on November 10.

“After noting the international by-election voting pattern and Malawi in particular, we decided to engage traditional leaders to mobilise more voters,” she said.