The Public Affairs Committee (PAC) is this morning scheduled to hold an interface meeting with President Joyce Banda in its quest to seek transformative leadership from presidential candidates in the May 20 elections.
PAC executive director Robert Phiri confirmed yesterday that the meeting is scheduled for 9 am at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe where, among other issues, the discussion will centre on political and economic governance.
Said Phiri: “Yes I can confirm that the meeting is on tomorrow [Wednesday] in the morning hours. Basically, PAC is discussing issues on political and economic governance.
“PAC is seeking commitments from presidential candidates on the issues raised from our conferences. In addition, there are proposed time frames within which the issues raised should be dealt with. After 20 May elections, PAC will be monitoring progress as part of implementation of PAC resolutions.”
He said the presidential interface meetings have been a good start because, as an organisation, PAC was learning a lot from the presidential candidates since this was the first time to embark on such an advocacy activity.
In its issues paper, PAC says from reports and All-Inclusive Stakeholders Conference, there has been a call for transformative leadership through sustained advocacy and building an informed society for quality leadership.
Reads the paper: “The core problem identified based on recent PAC activities is the lack of transformative, accountable and responsive leadership in Malawi which funnels in all key sectors of the economy, which is compounded by the Malawi’s political culture and systems.
“PAC intends to make follow-ups on the above issues given that the identified presidential candidates may be represented in Parliament after 2014 elections and one of them may assume office of the presidency. This will constitute holding leaders and ourselves accountable because for many years obvious issues have been ignored by both Malawians and their leaders.”
PAC has already met presidential candidates for United Democratic Front (UDF), Atupele Muluzi, Malawi Congress Party (MCP) torch-bearer Lazarus Chakwera and Mark Katsonga Phiri of the People’s Progressive Movement (PPM).
