CSOs want MPs to boycott Parliament

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electoral reforms Malawi

…says govt is betraying Malawians on electoral reform bills

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have asked Members of Parliament (MPs) to boycott parliamentary deliberations until government includes electoral reforms bills on the Parliamentary agenda list for the next sitting of Parliament.

electoral reforms Malawi
Mtambo and Trapence: have made the call

The CSOs namely Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) and Centre for the Development of People (CEDEP) have said that the exclusion of electoral reform bills on the list of bills to be discussed in the next sitting of Parliament is a sign that government is betraying Malawians.

According a statement that has been issued by the CSOs, the absence of the bills on the initial list of bills to be tabled in the August house is simply a sign that the reforms are not a priority to the government.

CHRR and CEDEP have in the statement signed by Timothy Mtambo and Gift Trapence faulted government’s claims that the cabinet is still scrutinizing the bills saying that this explanation is just an excuse to further delay it.

“We are not at all satisfied with the explanation given by the leader of the house, Kondwani Nankhumwa, that government has not presented the Electoral Reforms Bills to Parliament because cabinet is still scrutinizing the bills.

“This explanation is simply an excuse by the government to further delay the electoral reforms that Malawi badly need. Malawians are keen to see the passing of 50+1 electoral system so that national leaders should be elected by the majority,” reads the statement.

CHRR and CEDEP has in the statement said that Malawians need the bill to be passed by Parliament so that 50+1 system of electing president can be used in 2019 tripartite elections but with how the current government handles sensitive laws, probability of the bill hitting a snag is high.

“Looking at how the current government has behaved in the past over laws that seem to threaten their existence, we suspect that this is yet another calculated move by those in power to delay the electoral reform process.

“We have every reason to be suspicious because it is clear that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has not been in favour of this bill right from the start and is clearly seeking ways to further delay it,” reads the statement.

The CSOs have then urged MPs to boycott the parliamentary deliberations until when the electoral reforms bills have been included on the parliamentary agenda.

The organisations say failure of the opposition MPs to do so will mean that they are in ally with government to compromise laws for their own benefits.

CSOs and other stakeholders are pushing for electoral reforms that will see the head of the state winning the elections with 50+1 percent of all votes. According to some quarters, the new system will ensure that the president is elected by the majority.

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38 Comments

  1. for just a reason of electoral reforms????………… whose interest does that come from??….Malawi got a lot of crucial things which need urgent attention..

  2. DPP has never supported democracy. They feel itchy with matters of transparency….they are like a man who did not what hit him, confused, confounded and flabbergasted indeed! Really losing power by the end of the day!

  3. Hahahahahahahhaaa those hefty allowances they pocket during parliamentary seatings… CSOs you are a very big joke. Do you really expect them to heed you and boycott?

  4. We have had enough of these useless CSO’s… Why are they askin parliamenterians to boycott the parliament?if these cso’s are realy representation of the pple,then why dnt they just call for demos? Aliyense apange ntchito yomwe ali.asabisale kumbuyo kwa ma mp’ ayi..mumatche tione ngat anthu mumawanamidzila kut mukuwatumikilawo tione ngat adzatuluke

  5. very impossible that they can do that considering that there is money there. wat we need to know is that mps can differ in many issues but wen it comes to momey they are friends

  6. The possibility is that opposition parties may stay away but I don’t see DPP and UDF staying away! What is the expected benefit of a boycott? Will it not give chance to pass any bill without scrutiny? Let CSOs be level headed on this issue!!! Have they thought about the possibility of obtaining a court order?

  7. MP wake waku Malawi? He has already calculated the amount of allowances he will make during this seating and has already spent it before receiving it. Nde mukamuuze kuti boycott! Unless he still gets his allowance during the boycott

  8. koma ndiye eeeeee kuwafinya mokwana Amalawi.Munthu opanda chisoni iwe watizuza mokwana ;koma poti Mulungu akuwona satisiya chonchobe

  9. Electoral reform bill is for malawians and Mps are malawians as well so if the bill will benefit malawians i hope all mps will go for it koma vuto electoral reform billikuoneka ngati nchiphinjo kwa zipani zonse

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