50+1 bill to be tabled in parliament, extended to affect MPs, Councillors

Dec 11, 2017 Politics 102
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Malawi Parliament

As unrest over the much talked about 50+1 electoral bill, cabinet has made a key alteration to the initial proposition that it affects the presidency post alone.

The alteration is now that the bill will also concern voting of lawmakers and ward councilors.

Malawi Parliament
50+1 heads to parliament.

In April this year, a Special Law Commission had advised that Malawi needs to adopt a 50+1 vote law that will see the country receding from the winner-takes-it-all scenario of electing the president.

The debate has skyrocketed lately as the 2019 polls near. The failure by government to take the bill and other electoral laws has since resulted into organizations planning a demonstration this week.

However, the local media has been awash with reports that cabinet was in talks meant to see to it that the bill gets to parliament.

A circulating image document shows that the cabinet sitting wants the bill’s traits applicable to Members of Parliament and Ward Councillors.

It is reported that the bill is slated to be taken to parliament tomorrow- a day before the demos.

Analysts however say that the cabinet resolved to land this agreement so that lawmakers in parliament should not approve the bill.

The Peter Mutharika led government is being accused of shying away from the bill.

With the new system, the winning president will have to amass at least 50+1 percent of the national vote.

In the previous elections, Malawi had been using the First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) or winner-takes-all system to elect presidents, Members of Parliament (MPs) and ward councillors.

In the run-off system, if no candidate reaches the required rate during the first poll, a run-off will have to be held in which two presidential candidates who obtained the highest and second highest number of valid votes cast should be the only candidates.

For this to be adopted, Parliament needs to amend Section 80 (2) of the Constitution and Section 96 (5) of the Parliamentary and Presidential Elections (PPE) Act to provide change of the electoral system to the 50+1 threshold.

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102 Comments

  3. Am crying for my mother country Malawi, what is wrong with you, what is wrong with the current system, why are you targeting the sitting President than considering the future of our beloved country.

  7. Muptise bill yoti boma should borow money akatenge magesi ku mocambique kukabalabasa sizazi zanumukupanga zo mabili amenewo akatheka nde magesi asiya kuzima? Amalawi tiyen tiziganiza mozama

  8. The President ,MPs and councillors earn their salaries coz of tax payed by us, so let them all be affected hahahahah game ya makosana iyi .

  18. Mupite kaya musapite ku Musewoko palibe chosintha ndipo akuti kukhalatu chimvulatu kaya izo ife zathu pheeeee mu office.

  20. LET THE REFORMS INDEED AFFECT MPS AS WELL AS COUNCILLORS WHY PAC is only targeting the President, I totally support the move by government

  22. Extended To What? Kkk Now I Can see Opposition Parties Who Were Forcing It Saying 50plus Is Now Irrelevant Kkkkk Coz Only Few Mps In Malawi Can Manage To Get 50plus Votes, The Likes Of Kaliat And The Rest Mmmm Mbola

    1. They are hypocrites! I don’t know in any sane sense anyone can expect 50+1 only one elected office and not others. Their true colors are finally showing!

  24. What about recall? We the voters need the ability to get rid of MPs that no longer stand for what we elected them for and the dead wood sitting just phwii in parliament.

  28. za 50 plus zanuzo ine sizikundikhuza, mungolimbana za ziiiii dziko silikuyenda uku. mukamatche zithu za ziiiii, pac guys ikupusisa anthu. yofoila. atiuze tikamatche za nzeru ife,

  33. This only affects the presidents and not MPs and councillors I wonder why this category of people is also affected was this suggested by the law commission of Malawi am here to be schooled

    1. law commission just recommend but the final bill comes from the executive and its unquestionable.Mpz have a duty to pass the bill or not.asking for what law commission recommended is non starter.non cooked food. its cooked at cabinet level.wisdom will kill me

  34. Wastage Of Money The Poor Country Re Erect Dziko Losauka Ngati Ili!Out Of Sixty Parties In Malawi.Eee 50+1 Librelia Kenya Apindula Chani?Moti Ndalama Zimenezo Mupangire Zina.Kulira Basi.

  39. Govt deliberately edited the PAC originated proposal that only president should be loved and voted by majority, the one to be tabled not the same watc out!

    1. Any bill is prepared by government and for your own information government has just done within its mandate and its acceptable by the constitution.

  40. lets the drama begin.legislatures voting on this ? divide and rule.ha ha ha .parliament removed section 64 on recall provision.let see if they will vote on 50+1 on themselves, the incumbent MPz.thats why most of us said let politics and running of government be left to politicians and churches to men of God.look now a scenario where members will not affliate to a party stand.two terms as member of parliament kkkkkk who will vote yes.my question to you bill pushers : what if mpz shoot this bill down then what will you do? enacting this into law at your synod and dioceses. what the mpz will do will be lawful and representation of constituences view.count lawyers in the cabinet :the president himself, bright msaka, tembenu, attorney general is part of cabinet forum then you expected to win the chess.

    1. But if the proposal has been edited for their beneft then it might be David and Absalome war and Jehova will fight for one side.Jehova deliberately sent Husai to oppose Ahitoferi’s wise advise so that Absalome should not fight the father(1 sam 17)

    4. Azibusa a PAC yayo ndi yoloweza ma versi basi, yohane 1:8 “mau apantima” kkk. that reminds me of the bibilical laywers who asked Jesus about the ceacer’s image on the roman coin.

  41. I think federal system of government was needed why are you putting the bill in this way so that it shouldn’t pass you accept now because you know many are in your side

    1. this is what happens when you press an alert button to your adversary. this bill could have been tabled but the opposition seemed in a hurry, the churches seemed interested in the bill.then government was surprised and it strategised .politics is like playing chess.

  42. lets the drama begins.legislatures voting on this ? divide and rule.ha ha ha .parliament removed section 64 on recall provision.let see if they will vote on 50+1 on themselves, the incumbent MPz.thats why most of us said let politics and running of government be left to politicians and churches to men of God.look now a scenario where members will not affliate

  47. Pliz akuluakulu dont be panic with the demos. Let them go to the streets, akayende mpaka mapazi kutupa. Akatopa azabwerera mmakuka mwawo ena nakapeza ana akulira ndi njala.

  50. kaya ine ndilibe nazo nchito ndimagwira nchito ndi manja anga ndizi limbani nazo ngati manja ndilibe ogwira nawo nchito ayi

    1. Wayankhula zoona bro osamalimbana ndi zina zingakubweretsere mavuto pachabe, tsono limbikila zomwe ukuchita ndi manja akowo ndidzomwe zingakubweretsere ndalama.

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