MCP threatens Disobedience
Malawi Congress Party (MCP), the official opposition in Parliament, has threatened to call for ‘peaceful’ civil disobedience next month if government fails to introduce a Bill to discuss all electoral reforms.
In an exclusive interview this week, MCP spokesperson Alekeni Menyani said his party has resolved “to make the country ungovernable” in a peaceful way if government continues to dive and duck on electoral reforms which, he said, are being overshadowed by trivia.
He said: “We are demanding that government should bring to Parliament all relevant electoral reforms Bills and if government is not ready, the President must resign or we will call for civil disobedience.”
Menyani said the country has spent much time discussing the “illness or non-illness” of the President at the expense of important issues such as the electoral reforms.
He also said MCP wants the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to implement the proposal of moving MEC headquarters to Lilongwe and that announcements of results during a national election should be made at the constituency level.
“All these have to be passed during the next meeting of Parliament or else we will make this country ‘peacefully’ ungovernable,” said Menyani.
He said the party will mobilise people to peacefully force the government to implement the electoral reforms as proposed in several forums.
Some of the key reforms MCP wants discussed are the merit of shifting to 50-plus-one system from the current first-past-the-post and the amendment of electoral laws.
While supporting the push for the electoral reforms to be implemented, political analyst Boniface Dulani has faulted MCP on its position to call for national disobedience, saying the party should exhaust all the avenues before taking that direction.
He said: “The reforms have indeed delayed and it is good that MCP, as a party, has taken that initiative. I am sure all the parties, including the ruling party, would support the reforms.”
In the electoral reform recommendations, stakeholders, among others, recommended the amendment of the Parliamentary and Presidential Elections Act and the Local Government Elections Act to be integrated into a single Election Act.
The stakeholders also recommended financing of political campaigns be legislated to ensure transparency and accountability.
Further, the reforms propose a law to allow better management of the transition from polling day to the inauguration of the President and Vice-President to ensure sufficient time for a petition to be resolved prior to inauguration.
The stakeholders also called for amendment of Section 77 of the Constitution to establish the age of voter eligibility to be 18 years of age or older, on the day of the election and on polling as well as Section 67(1) of the Constitution for general elections to be conducted in September rather than May.
Other recommendations include empowering MEC to issue subsidiary legislation: in line with international best practice, the MEC should be empowered to issue Regulations on its key areas of competence and the election process under the Electoral Commission Act.
Recommendations were to establish a specific offence for vote buying (whether by handouts or other means) should be included in the election laws, as well as the Corrupt Practices Act to deter vote buying and staggered announcement of results as follows; seven days for the President, 14 days for National Assembly and 21 days for local councils.
Minister of Information and Communications Technology Malisoni Ndau said last evening the reforms report was being handled by a special committee and that he was yet to get details on progress.
On MCP’s threats, Ndau said the public will be the best judges.
However, a source within the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs told The Nation that no Bill on electoral reforms has been drafted and there is a slim chance that anything of that sort would be tabled in Parliament during the next meeting.
Malawi Electoral Support Network (Mesn) chairperson Steve Duwa said legal matters of the electoral reforms were the domain of the Malawi Law Commission and he did not see how government would push the commission to take the reforms to Parliament as the agency is an independent body.
He said MCP or other interested parties should lobby the Law Commission to expedite their process so that the country can avoid the challenges that affected the 2014 elections in other elections in future.
Previous elections have been marred by irregularities that prompted Mesn to champion the reforms. n
Menyani, you should have done this a long time ago. DPP government is playing games. Remember, you are the largest opposition party and if you can mobilise your supporters and other interest groups you will make a huge impact.
Take a leaf from South African parties like the EFF and DA who regularly conduct demonstrations against the poor governance of the ANC. You need to take that route now.
Do you remember the Nkandla story? The EFF told Zuma to pay back the money for using taxpayers money to upgrade his home. At first refused. But the EFF took the issue to the constitutional court and they won.
Do whatever you can to ensure that the electoral laws are passed by parliament. DPP is refusing to pass these laws because they know Peter Mutharika has no chance of winning if there is a rerun. He wants to continue riding on the back of tribalism and regionalism. We do not want a president to be winning with 30% or 33%.We want a president who can command nationwide support. So we want 50+1%. You have my support. Even NGOs will support you. These electoral reforms are long overdue!
I like your facts man. Osati amthu a opposition azingobwebwetuka kutisonkhanitsira ku nseu for demonstration and poor Malawians in the Frontline.
They know we are hungry and poor and they tell us to demonstrate in our neighborhood, coz of excitement, poverty, umbuli and jealous, we break into our neighbour’s shop. Leaving our neighbor poor.
When take our neighbour’s property, we misuse them and within minutes we are poor too.
Shame
These are the kind of issues we expect our parliament to be discussing. Can you go ahead Menyani and the entire MCP team with this please?? People’s Party – where are you? Can you stand up so that you are counted? Kamplepo Kalua, can you mobilise your team in PP? This country needs a “revolutionary” political party like the EFF of Julius Malema in South Africa! Peter Mathanyula Mutharika is “too sleepy” he needs to be shaken! If it means going to the streets or the courts so be it! We are tired of this nonsense – MCP go ahead and push the Law Commission, the Ministry of Justice, or whoever is responsible for this bill drafting business to wake up so that they make sure such good reforms are discussed and passed in parliament before the 2019 elections! And while you are pushing for that, remember the Access to Information Bill as well – it must come to parliament in its original form! Not the diluted one! Parliament’s role should not just be passing “Loan Bills” from India, BADEA, African Development Bank, etc- parliament should do its legislative role it was meant to be doing!!!!!!!!!!!
For sometime now, everyone who was born within 8tez have observed and seen the eras of all the 5poor Leaders o this small country. We can mention each one of them by name and the parties to which they belong one by one.
The one thing that strangers can wonder as we explain the history of each party, is the contradiction of names to the actions.
Honestly; MCP had not presented us well and very surprising, they continue marring their sweet name by letting naughty boys carry their flag.
These naughty boys sometimes call themselves ANALYSTS. They are not afraid to call the president bad names.
They are even online contemplating the President dead and goes as far as spreading the death of the president. Lies.
MCP being a mix of old and new forks, is failing to understand the democracy they try to fight for. They are power hungry instead of organising their party and get ready for 2019 they are busy insulting the President.
For example. Look at Menyani. One wise Friend who is here advocating for change of Electoral Laws. The seen the first comment from an MCP surporter. Busy castigating the first citizen, the very person they want to change.
I am sure what Mr. Menyani wants is change of laws. But alas! An ANALYST has missed a point.
I think “I Can Not Change For Your Good If I am Hurt My
If you, Fred Kamwendo, and your family, is enjoying what is happening in this country – then thats fine. Keep on enjoying. For me (I am not an “MCP ANALYST” by the way) – and quite a good number of Malawians, this country is now dead! You cannot be holding Malawi Investment Foras when the country is without power for 20 out of 24 hours each day! And as I type this line, it has gone 12 days without water at my house in Lilongwe (the last time we had water was on the 16th of October, 2016). But that is not the story for today. We are talking about Electoral Laws.
If you are happy to have a president of a country declared a winner by an Electoral Commission at 12:00 midnight, then thats fine.
If you are happy to have a president of this country supported by only 36% of the electorate, then that too, is fine.
If you are happy to have illiterate people in the village (no harm intended for our illiterate folks, my apologies) decide the fate of this country because they (the poor, illiterate electorate) have been given K50s and cloths and/or T-Shirts of their political parties, then thats fine!
I can go on and on listing the numerous shortfalls with Malawi’s electoral system, but let me stop here. But before I leave, I would truly love to have an Electoral College in Malawi so that each district (or is it constituency) contributes an equal number of voters to the national vote. Such an arrangement will eliminate (to some extent) the problem of having uninformed illiterate folks affecting the fate of this country! These poor folks as I have already said, are easily swayed by small freebies and handouts!
But since you, Fred Kamwendo, is happy with the status-quo, all I would say thats fine. Let this madness continue
Welcome my friend “Analyst.
But i am sorry to tell you this;
I can concur with only those who comments as Malawians.
Not MCPs.
Not UDFs
Not DPPs.
Not PPs.
Coz when these forks above comments, they will tell you what they will do with the government for not doing anything on electricity and water.
They will only manage to cover the wrongs they did by simply diverting our minds to the current ones.
Look mr analyst; don’t croud your judgement by anger and mad. Remove the hunger and frustration and weigh the weight and tonnes of these question.
How long had the MCPs stayed in power?
How long did it take them to build one power generation plant?
I am talking about one we are using. Can you honestly link that to Vision?
Look at the war torn Mozambique how they invested in electricity. To me;
Vision means seeing the possible future today.
For example, the power that was made was only able to feed 6million people.
In 31 MCP years, we have 300megawatts.
Currently we hear DPPsaying by 2022 we will have 1000plus megawatts. Meaning 700plus megawatts will be added.
If you have the problem with this Vision tell me mr analyst.
What the opposition can tell now is,
“That is impossible without telling us how and why.
Analyst are busy gathering all what the opposition is telling without a fair analysis as their job tells.
You (analysts) must be able also to tell us “how do things get done” not only “how things are undone”.
Come to me with facts that supports your analysis.
Let me tell you man.
I am not a fan of democracy.
Why?
Democracy has only managed to make Malawians RICH in the tongue while hands and feets are weak and poor.
I can not trust a malawian who until now thinks democracy means “kukodza pansi pantengo is your right.
Do you now have a justification why should i write somewhere on my wall “okodza apa 1000?
Malawi must be told the truth. And this is “tidikire 2020 kuti magetsi athu azatheke bwinobwino.
Why this?
Because previous governments never invested and we are investing now.
Thats a fact.
Malawians must be told that “the president will not develope our homes while ife tiri pa bawo talking kumangocheza m’malo momayesa kulima mbeu zina zomwe sizifuna fertilizer”.
Thats a fact.
Malawians must be told opposition siikuyenera kumangotsutsa zirizonse, akuyenera kutiuza kuti boma likamanga Stadium, tisakaswe ma toilet kapena kugwiritsa ntchito mwala poseta. Thats stupidity.
Malawians must be told kuti kupita m’misonkhano yandale all year round in 5years ndikupusa. Ndale samadya.
Malawians must be told “these people who call themselves analysts must find a good platform to chest out their analysis because poor Malawians have no time to analyse their analysis.
Until now Malawians talks about their rights leaving behind their responsibilities unclaimed.
Teach Malawians responsibility comes first. Not Rights.
Analysts must help Malawians think for themselves not democrats think for us. No.
Opposition knows the rulling have a good idea. But they will go in the village telling what they think will make us hurt the government.
Why not telling the village forks what they can do now to help their lives grow?
As the government is using our money on TVs telling us to care for the forests, one is now cutting 20trees to burn charcoal.
When soil erosion affects them, they are the first ones to stand up and blame government.
During MCP era, people had respect for one another including nature.
Democracy came and take all the discipline away.
Freedom of expression to the Democrats is a growing Cancer. Especially in Malawi.
Coz of just opposing everything, our leaders are scared to deliver.
Instead, they fill their pockets first so that they find transport to their hideout.
We prosecute them before they go wrong.
When they go wrong they see no future and hope.
When one fails to see his own hope, it will be difficult to help you see yours.