CCJP, CSO disagrees with DPP move to go to court over IDs use on voter registration
The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) and the Malawi Electoral Support Network (MESN) have disagreed with the decision by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to go to court to challenge the electoral that makes national IDs as sole identification in the voter registration process.
The DPP, through its spokesperson Shadrick Namalomba, announced yesterday that their lawyers are ready to challenge the Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government Act, which prescribes the use of the ID as the only form of identification, which they describe as a bad law
However, in an interview CCJP national coordinator Boniface Chibwana faulted the DPP’s move saying the electoral processes should be as consultative and inclusive as possible to ensure that all views from stakeholders are taken on board.
Said Chibwana: “The process went through Parliament and we believe Parliament is a representative institution. Consultations were done before coming up with that piece of legislation.
“It would be prudent to test the system first and if there will be major challenges such that a significant number of people will be disenfranchised, then maybe we can consider other options.”
He also said the training sessions that MEC is conducting on the EMDs were a good step towards enhancing efficiency in the process.
Malawi Electoral Support Network coordinator Andrew Kachaso agreed with Chibwana, saying while electoral processes have to be consultative, it would be imprudent to discard voter eligibility criteria before trying it.
“Any change to this requirement would need to follow a legal process. But it is generally advisable not to introduce or amend laws close to elections to maintain stability and consistency in the electoral process,” he said.
Kachaso also observed that if parties who passed electoral laws now seek amendments or alternative identification methods, it suggests that they have identified potential issues or gaps in the legislation that need to be addressed and possibly reviewed for future elections.
In a previous communiqué, Malawi Law Society (MLS) noted that while Section 77 of the Constitution gives all persons a right to vote in any general election, any impediment to the actualisation of this right goes against the tenets of liberal democracy, suggesting disagreement with restricting proof of eligibility to the national ID.
NRB has insisted that every eligible voter, including the 2.2 million potential new voters, will have their national ID cards ahead of voter registration.
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The CSO’s has to listen the outcry of the oppositions.
There’s big question mark here at this 2. 2 million new potential voters. Most of these new voters are being registered in central region and some are under age. So, if the DPP intend to get court order, they are correct. The voting system is manipulated by National Registration Bureau.
The opposition has to yes question the strategies, let’s play clean politics and yield fair result come 2025 general elections. Let winner wins on merit.
There is fire under the smoke. DPP knows something under the current law or practice.
We have seen how MEC is doing its work which is segligative and this needs to be checked soberly. Today its hard to believe the spokes persons of any institution because they now speak not for the common Malawian but certain groupings that are ready to do anything to win favour and distroy our hard won freedom. Things are not working to the will of a common Malawian. Who can trust people who support those who don’t practice freedom to common Malawian.
Mwayamba kale kunjenjemera. Kkkkkkkkkk mmene linkapangika lamulo limeneri aphungu anu anapanga nawo. Muluzabe ndithu osadanda. 2025 Chakwera my vote.
This is what Bon Kalindo is advocating for. Anthu awa ndi amodzi. Enough evidence that he is sponsored. They want to take advantage to use ana and people from neboring countries whom we can that we are one people to vote. Let’s love our country.