Malawi Law Society advises voters to elect ‘someone with the will of the people at heart’
The Malawi Law Society (MLS) has advised voters to strictly examine the candidates and their policies to ensure they vote for someone with the will of the people at heart in next week’s tripartite elections.
A statement signed by MLS president Burton Mhango and honorary secretary Martha Kaukonde has also asked Malawians that candidates seeking office must also spell out practical promises that will be fulfilled within the legal framework once elected.
MLS has also urged candidates and political parties, including all electoral stakeholders, to observe election rules and laws in the watershed polls.
The lawyers’ body said it will hold accountable any person or group that will try to violate the Constitution in a bid to get into or sustain power.
The statement seen by Nyasa Times, also urges candidates, political parties and their supporters to follow available conflict resolution mechanisms during the post-election period.
MLS further states that it is their expectation that the Malawi Police Service (MPS), the Judiciary, the media and other duty-bearers, carry out their duties in a professional manner both in the pre-election and post-election period.
Reads the statement: “Within the limits of our members’ professional responsibility and its statutory mandate, the Law Society shall not tolerate any disregard of the rule of law by any other institution in this period and beyond.”
About 6.8million voters will be electing a president, members of parliament and local government councillors.
The governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has three main rivals in this election—Malawi Congress Party (MCP), which is in alliance with former president Joyce Banda’s People’s Party (PP) and Freedom Party (PP), Vice-President Saulos Chilima’s UTM and the United Democratic Front which has Minister of Health Atupele Muluzi as its torchbearer.
Anlaysts have predicted the elections to be competitive.
The society full of immoral and unethical lawyers talking about will of the people at heaet. How ironic. Your profession allows you to ignore what’s in the best interest of people or the nation. You are the people who jump at getting injunctions to stop government or institutions to do what’s right. We could have banned plastics long ago if it wasn’t for lawyers thinking they are smarter than scientists. You defend the most corrupt leaders because your profession states innocent til proven guilty. So we have thieves who steal money for the people enjoying that money because of good… Read more »
Owinawina? Owinawina ndiye akupikisaniranji? Osangokhala bwanji? Mukamati wanu ngowinawina mukhalenso tcheru kuti mdzatani mutalephera. Tikukufunanibe tidzikhalira limodzi mdzikoli. Kukonzekera mbali zonse ndikukonda moyo wanu.
Zikomo.
A PM has already demonstrated the qualities described in the statement. We will vote for him basi.
MCP is the best….poti DPP ndi tiyanatawo ta utm alepherera limozi ngakhale utm ikukanila DPP
I am a thief. My president is a thief. We are both very happy.
BE PRECISE INU A LAW SOCIETY. TEL US WHO YOU THINK HAS WELFARE OF PEOPLE AT HEART. THIS ISSUE OF SKERTING AROUND WILL END UP IN SPLITTING OF VOTES BECAUSE NOT ALL OF US WOULD BE ABLE TO ANALYZE THE CANDIDATES PROPERLY!
Don’t beat the bush.
Endorse a candidate
True even themselves are in doubt.
Basically its SKC or nothing honestly do you really want to be the 4th poorest country for the rest of our lives
Chilima ndiwakuba bola chakwera
This is one of the worse groupings that has been ripping off its clients.Citizens should try to use or create more law institutions that can assist at lower fee and monitor clients payment as legal aid.