Allow Mutharika to conduct presidential affairs, says Malawi Law Society

The Malawi Law Society (MLS) has warned political parties and leaders that it will hold accountable anyone who promote any conduct that seeks to subvert the rule of law and has said President Peter Mutharika should be allowed to conduct affairs in the presidency “in the best interest of all Malawians” at all times.

President Mutharika: Has constitutional powers to be Head of State

The lawyers’ body has said the  Constitution stipulates that that will of the people of Malawi as a whole that the country must be built on and on the foundations of integrity, due process and good governance, transparency, mutual respect, peaceful co-existence and torelance for the common good.

MLS said as the country awaits the outcome of the elections petition case which may go either way,  they will keep watching any direct or indirect conduct of all parties concerned..

“The Law Society promises once again to hold accountab;e any of the legal or political leaders who promote any conduct that seeks to subvert the rule of law and the will of the people of Malawi in this post-election period or beyond,” reads a letter MLS honorary secretary Martha Etta Kaukonde signed and  has been  delivered to all the addresses, including President Mutharika, in his capacity as Head of State and president of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

The letter is also addressed to Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president Lazarus Chakwera, UTM Party president Saulos Chilima, Speaker of Parliament Catherine Gotani-Hara,  Inspector General (IG) of Police Rodney Jose and  Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) leaders Timothy Mtambo and Gift Trapence, among others.

The law society observed  that at the last sitting of Palrimanet some legislators were caught on camera watching a nap wile President Mutharika was delivering the State of the Nation Address.

And some members of parliament from MCP disrupted proceedings and others failed to comment or provide insight on the President’s address on account of party political considerations.

The lawyers body said  political maneuvering does not serve the nation best unless it falls within legal limits and legal responsibility.

“Any failure to provide responsible oversight on any person occupying the office of the President does not help to ‘invalidate anything done by the President before that declaration’ by a Court of law if that ever happens,” reads the letter.

The Law Society has called upn the Speaker of the National Assembly and all duly elected MPs to see to it that Parliament business is at all times conducted with all the decorum and diligence expected of business that august House.

MLS also  said it has observed that since the announcement of the May 21 Tripartite Elections results, the political leaders of DPP, UTM and MCP have arranged public rallies.

Reads the letter in part: “The society observes that such rallies have either turned out to be used as opportunities to question the outcome of the presidential elections or a means of reminding the public about political party manifestos in the way this is done during the campaign period or indeed to attack one another for perceived electoral misconduct or triumph.

“Publicly available newspaper articles and online publications disclosing the position taken by either Prof. Peter Mutharika or Dr Saulos Klaus Chilima [UTM] or Dr. Lazarus Chakwera [MCP] at such political podiums concerning the Presidential elections 2019 or its management are common place.”

In this vein, MLS reminds the political leaders that the campaign period provided for in Section 56-57 of Presidential and Parliamentary Elections Act (PPEA) is 60 days before the opening of the polling.

“The Law Society observes further that should the court nullify an electoral result and recall an election, the law in Section 100 and 114 PPEA provides that such recalled election will be conducted in accordance with the Act.

“This means that the campaign rights due to electoral political competitors will have to be observed.

“Read as whole, the law expects that after an election, the nation will quickly get down to serious State business and focus on meeting the aspirations of the people of Malawi as set out in Section 13 of the Constitution except that if there is a dispute concerning the election the courts will be managing it in terms of Section 100 or 114 of the PPEA and other relevant laws,” the letter reads.

MLS notes that while political parties have a right to assemble and disseminate information and indeed to raise governance issues with any public offices, it considers it the duty and responsibility of political leaders not to undermine the credibility of the legal processes engaged by them to address the presidential election disputes.

“Instead, we consider it the responsibility of the political leaders to use such opportunities to warn their members of the possibility of either outcome at the court, and the need to manage either outcome in accordance with the constitutional duty…

“We, therefore, urge you the political leaders and indeed any member of any grouping to desist from the temptation to assume the role of an arbiter in the electoral dispute placed before the court,” reads the letter seen by Nyasa Times.

In respect of DPP, MLS asks Mutharika to consider whether organising any form of counter-demonstration and victory rallies – others call it Chikuwawe rallies – does not fuel the differences especially when the matter remains in court with a possibility of either outcome.

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Mwenechu
Mwenechu
4 years ago

Akuba

Mwenechu
Mwenechu
4 years ago

Please do not provoke the nation. Ndinu anthu Aruba ndikale. Ask Jane.

Mwenechu
Mwenechu
4 years ago

Nanunso mwadya masikonu eti?

Njolo mpilu
Njolo mpilu
4 years ago

Muhango mls shit

Juju
Juju
4 years ago

Who is at helm of this organisation?

Joseph Tsokwe
Joseph Tsokwe
4 years ago

MLS is another pack of cadets corrupted to propagate lawlessness to ten advantage of DPP. They seem not to know their left and right but will son know what Malawians are fighting for. So sad that the MLS is completely off track at the time we expected them to side with concerned Malawians. Has MLS commented about the technicalities being contested in the courts? No. Have you asked two or a hundred of the protesting Malawians to understand their innermost concerns? No. Then shut up!

Chemwali chimwene
Chemwali chimwene
4 years ago

A society that is very corrupt and protects criminals. Ma lawyer akubera anthu osauka, kusupporter mbava. Kufuna kulemera mwansanga . Kuyika kumbuyo zigawenga kuti mudye ndalama zokuba ndi za magazi, fotseki zanu. You are worse than prostitutes. You have one leg in hell.

Twist
4 years ago

Whoever is not happy, go find your own client to give you bribes. There are plenty candidates. The tippex guys are already taken.

Central
Central
4 years ago

This is provoking the already angry Malawians! Is MLS aware that Malawians can’t be slaves to the law they formulated in 1994? Do you know that what you’re doing is pushing Malawians to start something towards a revolution for a new law? Kodi aliyense akufuna aziopseza a Malawi etiiiiiiiiiiiiiii? Why are you siding with Peter? Is APM not saying a lot that is even worsening situation on the ground? Aren’t statements like I am here till 2024 when there is an outstanding election case not something that means him too is telling the nation he has already dictated the judges… Read more »

Joloza
4 years ago

The Malawi Law Society (MLS) has warned political parties and leaders that it will hold accountable anyone who promote any conduct that seeks to subvert the rule of law and has said President Peter Mutharika should be allowed to conduct affairs in the presidency “in the best interest of all Malawians” at all times.

Kwa anthu ena chilungamo ndikuti zinthu zichitike mmene akufunira. Shame MCP ndi UTM. Mukufuna MLS izikutsekelerani pamene ma demo anu ndi au salvage. Akubwenzeretsa chitukuko cha dziko mmbuyo. Sitifuna dziko lachisokonezo ife. Let Mutharika lead. Bravo MLS.

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