Let Mutharika assent electoral bills, change is here to stay —Kaliati

UTM Party secretary general (SG) Patricia Kaliati has piled pressure at President Peter Mutharika to sign election reforms bills passed by parliament.

Malawi’s parliament in February passed the electoral reforms bills, which paves the way for fresh elections after the constitutional court nullified the May polls.

The court cited massive irregularities in the vote, which saw Mutharika re-elected.

The electoral bills propose a date for fresh elections and procedures to follow in case of runoffs.

“We demand that President Mutharika assent to the electoral Bills now because change is here to stay,” said Kaliati on Sunday during a political rally at Njamba Freedom Park.

Malawi’s constitution gives the president 21 days to sign the bills into law.  But there have been worries from electoral stakeholders that Mutharika will drag out the process.

However, presidential spokesperson Mgeme Kalilani said Mutharika will make his stand on whether to assent to the electoral reform bills or not by Friday.

In the event that the president has refused to assent to the bills, the bills will be taken back to parliament where they will be debated and passed.

Among others, the bills sets the date for the fresh election, gives guidance on the holding of a rerun in case no presidential candidate failed to amass the 50+1 and empowers the president to fire the current cohort of MEC commissioners.

Sources close to the president say Mutharika is waiting for a Supreme Court ruling on the election case before making decision on the bills.