Pressure mounts on Malawi Electoral Commission for 2014 funding
As queries intensify flow from accredited organisations about funding regarding the 2014 Tripartite Elections, the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has said it is still in discussion with some development partners to ensure that all organizations accredited to offer civic and voter education get funding.
MEC Chief Elections Officer Willie Kalonga said they decided to come up with a clarification on the matter after noting that it will be a challenge for some accredited Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to participate in the civic and voter education programme.
Kalonga admitted the delayed funding for organizations that were accredited to offer civic and voter education for the 2014 Tripartite Elections.
“The Commission has noted that it will be a challenge for some of the accredited CSOs to participate in civic and voter education as the first phase of registration starts on July 22, 2013 and has therefore come up with an intensive campaign to fill the gap,” said Kalonga in a statement.
He said MEC is optimistic that the accredited CSOs will get funding from the donors and they will be able to join the civic and voter education campaign before registration ends in January next year.
“The Commission would like to reiterate that for the 2014 Tripartite Elections, accredited organizations will have bilateral funding agreements with the development partners. The Commission did communicate this position to all the accredited organisations from the beginning and they have since been courting the donors on this,” said
Kalonga.
He said it is in the interest of the Commission to conduct a free, fair and credible elections in 2014 and that it will be achieved by combined efforts of all stakeholders including political parties, government departments, donors and the electorate.
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