Malawi leader asks Britain for support over first tripartite elections
Malawi President Joyce Banda has appealed to Britain to help her developing country in funding to enable it hold three elections ”the presidential, parliamentary and local government” next year.
President Banda on an official visit to United Kingdom, informed the British Government officials that Malawi will be having tripartite elections in 2014 and that her Government is taking all the necessary steps to ensure a free and fair election.
According to a statement issued by State House press officer Tusekele Mwanyongo, President Banda said “Malawi would need the financial and technical support from the British Government to ensure that the elections are truly free and fair.”
President Banda is on record telling Malawi Parliament that to facilitate the elections, her Government will mobilise adequate resources for the holding of the polls
However, President Banda appealed to the country’s development partners to help offset any shortfalls the electoral body may encounter in funding the exercise.
She also said her administration shall continue to respect the independence of Malawi Electoral Commission to ensure a credible, free and fair poll.
Malawi will be holding for the first time the three-tier elections.
Since the dawn of multiparty democracy in 1993, Malawi has only been holding periodic presidential parliamentary elections every five years. It held Local Government Elections once in 2000 which were marred by poor voter turnout estimated at as low as 11 percent.
While in Scotland
Banda arrived in Edinburgh, Scotland, on Sunday on an official tour of the United Kingdom where, among other engagements, she took part in the Dr David Livingstone Bicentenary Celebrations
As part of the events marking the celebrations, President Banda toured the David Livingstone Centre, in Blantyre, and attended a Church Service at Blantyre Livingstone Memorial Parish.
Accompanied by the First Gentleman Retired Chief Justice Richard Banda, SC, the Scottish First Minister, her delegation and Moderators for Livingstonia and Blantyre Synods of the CCAP, Reverend Timothy Nyasulu and Reverend Mercy Chilapula, respectively, the President was welcomed by the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Right Reverend Albert Bogle.
During the service, President Banda read from the Scriptures in Isaiah 49: 1-7. Reverend Nyasulu offered a ‘Prayer of Dedication’ while Reverend Chilapula offered a ‘Prayer of Intercession’.
