Chancellor College associate professor of Political Science Blessings Chinsinga has said parties’ delay in releasing manifestos reflects their lack of seriousness to serve Malawians.
Speaking in an interview yesterday, Chinsinga said parties should have launched their manifestos to enable the public to know what they have on offer.
Chinsinga said Malawians want to see politicians embark on issue-based campaign to which the leaders can be held accountable.
“It doesn’t make any sense that the parties should be taking long to release their manifestos when people want to know what development they will bring.
“Political parties are taking Malawians for granted. We need the manifestos before the [official] campaign starts so that Malawians are able to grade the parties,” said Chinsinga.
He added that political debates taking place in country offer little hope to Malawians as participants speak from their heads other than manifestos.
“Even in the debates, the issues politicians say are from their heads and not necessarily what the party will do for the people. We can only get to know what the parties will do for the people through manifestos. This is why such debates are boring. We do not get issues the parties will offer,” said Chinsinga.
Meanwhile, the Youth and Society (YAS) has condemned the delay in releasing of manifestos, saying the parties are denying Malawians access to information to make informed choices.
“As YAS, we are deeply disturbed by the development that most political parties seeking power in the forthcoming tripartite elections are yet to release manifestos, a public declaration of policy and convictions of any political group, spelling out proposed development policies, strategies and programmes.
“The situation has left Malawians, in particular the majority youths, wondering what such political parties represent and the development agenda they will champion if voted to power,” reads in part the statement signed by YAS executive director Charles Kajoloweka.
