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Peace meet draws poll action points

Delegates to the National Peace Conference in Lilongwe on Tuesday recommended electoral stakeholders to pursue new action-points to make the May 21 2019 Tripartite Elections credible and violence-free.

Organised by Malawi Human Rights Comission (MHRC), the conference drew together representatives of political parties, Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), civil society organisations, donors and government.

MEC chief elections officer Sammy Alfandika addresses the conference

On Wednesday, MHRC executive secretary David Nungu described the conference as a success, observing that participants contributed to the nation-building agenda.

During the meeting, government representatives, MEC and Malawi Police Service (MPS) faced criticism and were challenged to work to regain full trust towards making the elections violence-free, fair and credible.

Opposition parties, CSOs, the media and donors were also told how and where to sharpen their roles in helping to deliver the successful polls ordinary Malawians deserve.

In their recommendations, delegates urged MEC to use available legal recourse to discipline, including disqualification of candidates who violate the right to peace through violent acts.

The electoral body was also told to ensure free and timely flow of pertinent information, including electoral results and any other technical problems encountered.

On its part, MPS was asked to investigate and prosecute all reported cases of political violence “without fear or favour”.

The civil society was told to ensure neutrality.

MHRC organised the conference to enable political parties and other stakeholders find ways of achieving peaceful co-existence, as violent incidents increase as the political temperature increases ahead of the polls.

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