Mutharika delays to assent to electoral reform bills worry PAC

Quasi-religious body, the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) has expressed its concern over president Peter Mutharika’s delays to assent to the electoral reform bills into law, saying the country is racing against time for the Constitutional Court sanctioned fresh presidential election.

The electoral reform laws will guide the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) in the holding of the fresh election on May 19, 2019.

PAC chairperson Monsignor Patrick Thawale implored on Mutharika to immediately sign the bills into laws.

“The signing of the bills into laws will be in the interest of Malawians. We don’t have much time for the preparations of the fresh election.

“When you look at the bills, they are for the good well being of all Malawians, they are very important for the nation,” he said.

He said the president must be serious on issues of national importance by assenting to the bills.

Thawale  said Mutharika should look at the seriousness of the bills.

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.