Civil Society pushes for local government elections
Civil society leaders in Malawi have urged the Malawi government not to renege on its constitutional duty to call for local government elections a year after holding the presidential and parliamentary elections.
According to the Malawi Constitution, local government elections shall be held one year after general elections. But since coming to power in 2004, the administration of President Bingu wa Mutharika has never held local polls.
This has, among other things, led to Malawian cities running without mayors and councilors.
Local Government and Rural Development Minister Goodall Gondwe (pictured) 
has since said the Mutharika administration has shown commitment to holding the local polls in May 2010 after it factored 1 billion Malawi kwacha in the 2009/10 national budget for the local polls.
“There is a budget line for the local polls so that means government is committed to holding the polls,” he said.
But Alloysius Nthenda, Chairman of the Malawi Elections Support Network (MESN) – a group of civil rights NGOs, said putting money in the budget was one thing but holding the polls was another.
“Every year government put aside money for the local government elections but we haven’t had local polls for years,” he said
Nthenda said despite government claims that it had set aside money for the polls there was nothing on the ground to indicate preparations for the polls.
“The electoral commission has no calender,” he said. “This is affecting our planning for civic education.”
Malawi Electoral Commission spokesman Fegus Lipenga confirmed that the commission had no calender for the local polls.
“We have no calender because nobody has instructed us on the local polls,” he said. “If we get the instructions we will be ready.”
The civil society leaders fear that without elected local assemblies, democracy will be defeated.
Billy Banda, head of Malawi Watch – a civil society organisation affiliated to MESN, said as the situation is now, grassroots members have no say in how they are being governed.
“What we have is a top-bottom system where the executive arm of government just dictates issues without input of the grassroots,” he said. “This is a serious flaw in our democracy.”
Gondwe, the Local Government and Rural Development Minister, admitted local government elections were a constitutional requirement that cannot be wished away. He, however, said statutes governing local assemblies had to be re-worked.
“We are currently reviewing the roles of counsellors to make them more effective,” he said.
Analysts say the executive arm of government and Parliament may not be keen to have elected councilors for fear of competition for Members of Parliament (MPs).
“Because councilors are in touch with the grassroots every day, they may own development projects and may challenge MPs during general elections,” said an MP who asked for anonymity.
Gerard Chigona, a political scientist, said that fear may come about because the role of an MP in Malawi is not clearly defined.
“MPs are supposed to formulate laws while counsellors are supposed to be looking after development issues,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Malawi Electoral Commission has announced Parliamentary by-election on 12 January, 2010, to fill vacancies in Parliament. The main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) of veteran politician John Tembo and the former ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) of former president Bakili Muluzi lost a seat each after an MCP MP died mysteriously on a private trip to South Africa and a UDF MP was disqualified after a court conviction.
The MCP now has 26 seats, down from 60 after 2004 polls, while the UDF now has 15 MPs from 49 in 2004.
On the other, hand the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of President Mutharika scored a surprise landslide, scooping 114 seats in the 193-member Parliament.
Small parties – the Alliance for Democracy (Aford), and the Malawi Forum for United and Development (Mafunde) – have one MP each while 30 MPs went to Parliament as independents although most of the have pledged allegiance to the DPP.–Pana
if people were asking whether Moya dictator Bingu was advocating democracy or dictatorship here is the answer. you cant plan to review the work of MP’S OR COUNCELLORS for years.thats a great lie. Gondwe and all in DPP are just on the same agenda to kill the so called democracy. with Bingu you will never have local elections I bet you, keep this article
Councilors are neede for the sake of equality in the distribution of development projects at district level. In the absence of councilors, MPS direct such important projects to areas perceived to be their strongholds while innocent people suffer. We need councilors!!! we need councilors!!! we need councilors!!!!!
All what we hear about him are negative stories. He has now become a statue of mockery and a disgrace to the nation. if somebody thought he is among the best, then he is the best among the worst.
I would like to congrstulate the reporter of this article, he has coverd national issues very well. Every malawian knows the importance of the councillors,or mayors in the cities. We need to have councillors in the areas who will help in the implementation of development. Hon Gondwe has explained very well what the government has planned. I also notice the concern of Nthenda which the government has to look at. This is what the government need. If issues where to be talked in this way, y beloved country would be the best place o earth.This is what we want to see from civil society groups.
I used to think that people who spend some considerable time in the west asimilate to democracy. Kamuzu was the first disapointment, but I had good reasons to forgive him. He was ruling during the era of dictatorships in Africa and the world over. His dictatorship was actually supported by the western Governments coz of the cold war.
But this Mapuya guy with all his vast experience, lengthy service in the UN system and ruling during democratic era surprises me. Kodi mwina ndizoona zija amati degree yawo anachita chogula ku America?
Kalasa Agwiyo
G. Gondwe has just gone crazy like his master for real. For how long do you think you will tell us lies. You are now full of yourself. You chose to be closer to your wicked and useless master than to malawians and righteousness. With these white lies, expect to get a vote from your useless master not us.
You are all bullshit there.
We need councillors in Malawi only if they will really facilitate development. Like most Mps r just an outlet of a hard earned taxpayer’s money. How many MPs are based in their home area? However, human rights groups must not hide behind the word ‘democracy’ and believe that will solve everything. Which criterion of democracy can you give us as a standard? Is it America/UK? How many nations are languishing because of the same undemocratic policies from these countries? Almost all NGOs u’re on a payroll of western countries and you vomit to poor Malawians what you’ve been unproperly feed. Malawians let’s work for ourselves with our hands in our areas. Fat cats like NGO are more ineffective and unproductive. Their work is already done by the media. The verbal NGOs don’t have a hands on capability to solve problems