MCP pledges to revive electoral reforms debate
Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president Lazarus Chakwera has said his party will bring back to Parliament the Electoral Reforms Bills once ushered into power in the May 21 Tripartite Elections.
He was speaking on Monday during a campaign rally held at Malembo Primary School, Traditional Authority (T/A) Khongoni in Lilongwe.
Said Chakwera: “As MCP, we approved the Bill during its consultation stage and we had high expectations that it would pass. However, we were let down by the very same people that brought it into Parliament.”
The Bill, which was shot down in Parliament, sought to ensure that the president elected during polls represents the majority of Malawians and facilitate involvement of women in active politics by, among other things, ensuring that each district has a constituency where only female candidates compete for parliamentary positions, among other benefits.
Chakwera also promised that once in government, MCP will restore the dignity of traditional leaders and not use them as campaign tools.
“We can’t take pride in parading chiefs for political ambitions. That’s not on and MCP will end that,” he said.
The MCP leader also promised to revamp existing irrigation schemes and agricultural commodity markets to boost agriculture in the country.
He also said MCP has laid out systems that will boost the education and health sectors through construction of more infrastructure such as hostels and new health centres across the country.
In his remarks, MCP secretary general Eisenhower Mkaka hit at the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration for unequal distribution of developments.
He said: “Under the DPP-led government, the Southern Region has received more developments than other regions. This is not the way to distribute national wealth.”
