Mutharika gives nod to PAC mediation on Malawi political tension

President Peter Mutharika has opened doors for the State House to  meet Public Affairs Committee (PAC), a quasi-religious body formed in 1992 during the country’s political transition from one-party to multiparty system of government, to find solutions to post-May 21 Tripartite Elections  crisis.

Both PAC and State House confirmed the meeting would take place on Friday in Blantyre.

Presidential press secretary Mgeme Kalilani confirmed the President’s commitment to meet the PAC delegation at Sanjika Palace at 2pm on Friday.

PAC executive director Robert Phiri also confirmed that “the President has opened the door to us.”

The PAC mediation team comprises members from the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM), Muslim Association of Malawi (MAM), Evangelical Association of Malawi (EAM), Quadria Muslim Association of Malawi (QMAM) and Malawi Council of Churches (MCC).

Led by Archbishop Thomas Msusa, who is the archbishop of the Archdiocese of Blantyre of the Catholic Church, PAC embarked on a dialogue initiative in a bid to pacify the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and opposition parties disputing the May 21 Tripartite Elections results, especially in the presidential race.

Their first first level of dialogue was  with UTM Party president Saulos Chilima and Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president Lazarus Chakwera.

While PAC rolled out its mediation drive, Chilima and Chakwera filed a petition in the court seeking nullification of the presidential election results over alleged irregularities.

Msusa said the PAC mediators were pleased that during the meetings with UTM and MCP leadership, the Lilongwe Peace Declaration document was a point of reference and that one of the  outcomes was the use of complaint mechanisms by the two parties through seeking legal redress.

He said as  the  situation evolves, there could be” potential for other issues to be settled politically.”

The governance watchdog is also set to meet the leadership of Human  Rights Defenders Coaltion (HRDC) which continues to organise nationwide demonstrations to force chairperson of Malawi Electoral Commisison (MEC), Jane Ansah to resign over what the grouping alleges that she presided over the fraudulent May elections.

Commentators have since welcomed mediation efforts of PAC as well as former president Bakili Muluzi to resolve teh post-May elections stalemate as a positive step for the country.

They are place trust in the credibility of the PAC team.