Malawi VP demands local polls before 2014

The People`s Party (PP) president Joyce Banda, who is also state vice president, has asked president Bingu wa Mutharika and his government to conduct Local Government Elections (LGE) sooner than in 2014 as recently announced.

Banda said this in Mangochi during the PP official launch event for the eastern region, which covers Zomba, Machinga, Balaka and Mangochi districts.

"I am not calling for these elections because our party is now officially registered and that we want to win, no. However, I can assure you that if the LGE were called today, the PP would sweep more local seats than any other party in the country if the support that we're receiving by the day is anything to go by," said Banda.

The local polls were initially expected to take place in September after the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) commenced consultations with the civil society and political parties on the anticipated polls.

Banda: We need councillors and Mayors

However, Chairperson of MEC Anastasia Msosa announced in June that the polls had been postponed until 2014 following consultations with Mutharika.

Malawi Electoral Support Network (MESN) Executive Director Alocious Nthenda had reacted angrily to the development, observing that there was no law in the country's constitution that provides for tripartite elections in 2014. Malawians also go to polls to elector members of parliament and a Head of State in May 2014.

Reiterating her position on the same, the VP said in the absence of local assemblies, equitable and adequate distribution of development projects cannot be guaranteed as the citizens do not have genuine representatives at the grassroots decision-making level.

She said the PP believes in the devolution of power to local authorities so that people can define their priorities; enforce social services delivery; promote participatory development; and realize the spirit of self-reliance.

"It was only through devolution of power that government’s socio-economic and political policies would very much be formed around the concept of local input and that this would therefore ensure government turns around the projects quickly," she observed.

PP secretary general, Henry Chibwana told the gathering that "the writing is on the wall", saying time for president Mutharika and his governing DPP was over.

Chibwana outlined some qualities and policies of the PP that differentiated it from other political parties in Malawi, enthusing that "the PP is headed by an experienced woman as its president, and the party does not belong to an individual but that it was rather "the `people`s party'".

He said the other parties in the country are owned by individuals, which is why they are able to make unilateral and destructive decisions "willy-nilly". Chibwana said Malawians should support the PP as it was the people's party in the genuine sense.

In his speech, PP vice president Khumbo Kachali faulted Mutharika's recently announced cabinet as full of 'Matchona' who had spent most of their time outside the country such that they could not appreciate what real problems Malawians were facing.

The ceremony was attended by 123 chiefs, among them were senior traditional authority Amidu and T/A Katuli from Mangochi and others from Zomba.

Other PP senior members present at the colourful function included treasurer general Brown Mpinganjira, national director of women Clara Makungwa, legal advisor Paul Maulidi, religious affairs director, Rev. Malani Mtonga, national campaign director Rev. Emmanuel Chimkwita Phiri, provincial governors for the south and central, Ali M'balaka and Kizito Ngwembe, respectively, NEC member Khumbo Mhango, director for international affairs Wallace Chawawa, Ephraim Chibvunde (master of ceremonies), national director of youth, Lawrence Mpofu, director of youth, southern region, Lemani Chapitapansi, among others.

Nyasa Times 12 Sep, 2011

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Source: http://www.nyasatimes.com/national/malawi-vp-demands-local-polls-before-2014/
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