MHRC Presents Elections report to Legal Affairs Committee On Thursday 22nd January,2015 a delegation of MHRC Commissioners and secretariat staff presented the 2014 tripartite elections to the Parliamentary Committee on legal affairs. The Chairperson of Malawi Human Rights Commission Ambassador Sophie Kalinde stated that commission monitored all the three stages of the elections. The commission monitored the pre-election phase, election phase and post-election phase. Kalinde touched on some of the findings and observations and recommendation. Kalinde talked about the suspension of MEC commissioners, delayed appointment of new NEC commissioners and its independence; the Composition of MEC by individuals with political affiliations ; presentation of nomination papers, role of the media; opening of polling stations and shortage of polling materials and forced leave of the director general of MBC. Commissioner Ben Kondowe touched on nullification of polls by state president and call for voter recount; delayed announcement of elections results; management of the transition process; Call for review of the first past-the-post electoral system ;and capture of the media and civil society by government. Commissioner Dr. Rev Zacc Kawalala concluded the presentation by restating the stand of the commission on the 2014 tripartite elections. Based on its extensive elections monitoring, the Commission’s main finding is that Malawi failed to administer fair, transparent and credible elections, and to address the irregularities which besieged the electoral process. The Commission finds the wholesome pronouncements by some commentators and observers of the freeness, fairness and credibility of May 2014 Tripartite elections particularly disconcerting considering the many irregularities that were observed. Therefore, the Commission envisages that the information contained in this report raises serious questions on the rhetoric that has applauded the May 2014 Tripartite Elections as free, fair, transparent and credible in most absolute terms-Said Kawalala After the presentation of the report members of the committee had a lot of questions. But due to time, It was agreed that the discussion of the elections report be tabled another day. I was agreed that the elections report needs a day long discussion so that the committee appreciates all the information presented in the report. The Malawi Human Rights Commission and the Legal affairs committee agreed to continue the elections report discussion on 4th February, 2015.
Posted on: Mon, 26 Jan 2015 07:13:58 +0000
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