Chakwera denies making U-turn on electoral reforms

Leader of opposition Dr Lazarus Chakwera has insisted that he is not against the tabling of electoral  reforms  bills in the august house.

Chakwera was responding to local media reports that claimed that he is against the electoral bills reforms and would be happy if they were not tabled in Parliament.

Reacting to the media reports, Chakwera said that he is unhappy with  the story which he described as untrue.

“I have learned with disappointment and dismay that today’s “Nation on Sunday” has published false claims that I am opposed to reforms that are aimed at improving our country’s electoral process and system.

“To set the record straight, as recently as three weeks ago, I publicly demanded that the DPP- led government should fulfil its promise to Malawians that the six Electoral Reforms Bills I have been demanding would be brought to Parliament for tabling in the current sitting,” Chakwera said.

According to Dr Chakwera who is also Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president, his Members of Parliament threatened to boycott proceedings to show disappointment with how the bills are being handled by government.

“In fact after noticing that President Peter Mutharika’s opening address made no commitment to fulfil that promise, I publicly threatened that I and the MCP would boycott proceedings unless government committed to bring the bills, which is when Government leaders in the house committed to bring the bills,”  Chakwera said.

The Leader of Opposition added that after waiting in vain for two weeks for Mutharika’s cabinet to bring the bills, last week he called the Minister of Justice Samuel Tembenu aside together with the Leader of the House Kondwani Nankhumwa to hold them accountable for the continued delays.

“They explained that some of the bills have been cleared through cabinet and some had not. In good faith, I not only told the two ministers that Malawians are expecting the Bills , but I also insisted that while Cabinet is clearing some of the Bills, the ones it has already cleared should be tabled immediately as proof that Government has the Bills,” Chakwera said.

The Leader of Opposition then faulted local media reports that he has now turned against the bills saying that the claims are false.

“Fellow Malawians, I cannot stand idly by while you are being lied to and being taken for fools. You deserve to know the truth. And the truth is that this malicious lie not only contradicts the facts of the meeting I called with the two Government minsters to confront them about the delays, but it also contradicts what I said to the reporter and what I have constitently pushed and lobbied for on your behalf for over two years, as the following public record clearly,” he added.

The quasi religious group, Public Affairs Committee (PAC) has slated December 13 as the day to hold peaceful demonstrations with the aim of forcing government to bring the Bills in the august house for debate.

The Electoral Reforms Bills will among others see the president winning the elections with 50 +1 votes.