Ben Phiri says DPP ready for Malawi fresh elections June 23

Ben Phiri, who is Minister of Local Government and Rural Development and governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) director of elections, has said the ruling party with its alliance partner United Democratic Front (UDF) is ready for fresh presidential elections slated for June 23.

Phiri said in Parliament that while DPP-UDF alliance is ready to secure President Peter Mutharika electoral victory, they would  want to  make sure that all irregularities that can be brought to the court in future should be dealt with so that the country hold a credible elections.

He said the Constitution is the “spinal code” of the country and that it should guide the holding of the presidential rerun.

“Therefore, if we do not amend the Constitution, really to be in line with the date of 23 rd June as both sides agreed, and then certainly one will rise up on and after the elections to get to court and again point out that as an irregularity. I would, therefore, really impress on both

Sides of the House to consider dealing away with the irregularities now, so that when elections are done, we have got little or nothing for somebody to really cry about,” he said.

But Phiri said the governing party is ready, set for fresh elections.

He nonetheless slated Malawi Congress Party (MCP) for bulldozing the House in passing motions, saying it reflects how the party in the past kneeled on the neck of multiparty democracy until it suffocated in the country.

“Madam Speaker, you may wish to be reminded that in 1961, there were the first multiparty

Elections in Malawi, where the United Federal Party had three seats in the Assembly.

What happened after that, Madam Speaker, that we should now get back to one party system when we already had a multiparty system of government? Exactly, what happened then, is what happened yesterday[ House passing June 23 voting day resolution]; raping the procedures; bulldozing systems to fit certain personalities.

“And we are saying as the so called government-in-waiting [MCP], they needed to show the public that they respect the law and procedures so that people are not reminded of the 1961 ordeal. They suffered under one party system when there was already multiparty democracy,” said Phiri.

He cautioned that  if lawmakers do not back the fresh elections with the constitutional amendment, the results will certainly be challenged and they will be challengers.

“I know for a fact that the opposition are doing all of this deliberately to begin to gather irregularities which they will file in court when they lose the election,” he said.

“We are saying the election should happen on the 23 rd June, but with proper procedures and with the Constitution amended so that the nation is able to sail through without challenges.”