MPs ready to debate electoral reform bills

Members of Parliament (MPs) have said they are ready to debate the electoral reforms bills if they are to be tabled in Parliament.

The assurance was made by Chairperson of Legal Affairs Committee in Parliament Maxwell Thyolera after receiving a petition from Public Affairs Committee (PAC) who organised peaceful demonstrations in Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe.

According to Thyolera, MPs are waiting for the bills to be tabled in Parliament.

“We are going to wait for our colleagues from executive arm of the government to bring the bills but when per procedure when the petition has been received it is tabled in the house. We as members of Parliament we are ready to debate the bills,” Thyolera said.

Thyolera added that it is up to the executive arm of the government to take the bills to the august house so that MPs should debate them.

In his remarks, Public Affairs Committee (PAC) Publicity Secretary Father Peter Mulomore said Malawians are looking forward to seeing the bills become laws as they will benefit Malawians.

According to Mulomore, PAC has given Malawi Government a deadline of 29th November, 2017 to table the bills in Parliament and failure to do so will lead to another peaceful demonstration.

“We have given the executive arm of government after 29th November and that should be Tuesday next week. And if they will fail to hear us according to constitutional right we will ask Malawians to demonstrate,” Mulomore said.

The electoral reforms will among other things see a president winning elections by 50+1 percent of votes.