Expedite National IDs to help in Malawi polls, NICE urges
A lot of resources associated with conducting fresh elections would be saved if government expedited the finalisation of the National Identity cards.
The proposal is contained in a report the National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) released Friday on the 2014 elections monitoring report in Lilongwe.
The report, which explains, queries and recommends, highlights various occurrences which characterised the electoral process from the pre- to the post-electoral phases.
“Since this process will be continuous the voters will also be registered on continuous basis hence removing the burden of voter registration every election year,” said Ollen Mwalubunju, the public trust’s executive director.
The report emphasises the uniqueness of the 2014 tripartite elections saying it symbolises a return to people-centered democratic governance, citing, as an example, the resurrection of ward councilors after a 10-year absence.
NICE queries the conduct of public broadcaster MBC’s bias towards then ruling party PP under President Joyce Banda. It also queries Joy and Galaxy radios for being biased towards the opposition.
The sensitisation body also queries political parties for the violence which occurred during a rally resulting in the deaths of a police officer and a villager at Goliati in Thyolo.
In another clichéd proposition, the executive director says there is need for comprehensive electoral reforms.
“We recommend that the president should be amassing 50%+1 votes so that the President should be accepted by everyone,” Mwalubunju said.
On appointment of MEC Commissioners, the report says time has come for Malawi to have commissioners who are appointment on merit like those from the Malawi Human Rights Commission.
During the meeting all political parties shunned the meeting except DPP who was represented by its Secretary general Jean Kalirani.
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