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| National |
| Parties want Electoral Commission dissolved |
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by
Mc Donald Chapalapata, 10 August 2004
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09:26:44
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Opposition political parties have called for the dissolution of the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) following a European Union Observation Mission report that the May 20 general elections failed to meet international standards.
Mafunde issued a press statement on Monday through its publicity secretary Redson Munlo saying the report from the EU has confirmed what other observers have said and “what all Malawians know that the elections were not free and fair”.
“Mafunde, therefore, is calling for the immediate dissolution of the MEC and it should not be allowed to handle any election, including the parliamentary by-elections that are scheduled for October 2004,” said Munlo.
Munlo said Malawians have lost confidence in MEC under the leadership of Judge James Kalaile.
“It will be more preferable for us to delay the by-elections than have hastily prepared elections that will be disputed later on,” said Munlo.
Mafunde also called on all political parties to boycott any elections organised by the current MEC.
MCP publicity secretary Bintony Kutsaira said they agree with Mafunde on the dissolution of MEC but did not agree with the party on the boycott of elections.
“We have been crying for the dissolution of MEC for a long time. We need new commissioners and they should be appointed by a committee of Parliament rather than the President who is an interested party when it comes to elections,” said Kutsaira.
“But we do not agree with Mafunde that we should boycott the by elections. Instead, we should pressurise government to amend the law on electoral commission before conducting the by-elections because the current commission has lost the confidence of the people,” he added.
Peoples Progressive Movement (PPM) Vice president Mark Katsonga Phiri said the party has always said the current commission should be disbanded.
“We have new parties in Parliament and they need to be consulted on the composition of the commission. We cannot continue to have three parties represented on the commission when there are more parties represented in the National Assembly,” said Katsonga Phiri.
He disagreed with Mafunde’s call to boycott by-elections, saying the parties should move a motion in Parliament to reconstitute the Commission.
“The elections can’t go ahead in this state of affairs. We have to rectify the mistakes before we proceed with any elections. As PPM we will take the matter up in Parliament,” he added.
UDF deputy publicity secretary Mary Kaphwereza Banda said boycotting any elections will not help Malawians.
“We have to find solutions that will help us,” said Kaphwereza Banda.
On whether MEC should be disbanded, she said: “Does Mafunde have any representation in Parliament? If they do not have any representation what are they talking about?” said Kaphwereza.
Personal Assistant to the chairman of the Electoral Commission Willie Kalonga said yesterday the commission does not understand why it should be dissolved.
“Why should the Commission be disbanded? Is it because of the EU report? The Commission tried its best but funding came in very late. Even if you replace the Commission and it is not supported financially, there is nothing they can do, even if you bring angels,” said Kalonga.
He said the EU report talks about the elections not meeting international standards when the electoral law in Malawi is not in conformity with ‘those international standards’.
MEC spokesman Fegus Lipenga said in a separate interview that a national conference on the post elections held last month did not call for the dissolution of MEC.
“We had real stakeholders in that conference and they never said the commission should be disbanded. Actually they praised us on the stringers project and they said the commission should be restructured not disbanded,” said Lipenga.
The Malawi Law Society said in June the commission should be disbanded since there are new parties represented in the National Assembly and they need to be consulted on its composition as required by law.
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