Parliament meets in ‘extra time’ to avert Malawi constitutional crisis

Parliament is meeting in extra time proceedings to avert a deep Constitutional crisis following Thursday’s shooting down of a constitutional amendment to have a provision for a run-off in case no presidential candidate garners over 50 percent of the total votes cast.

Speaker of parliament Catherine Gotani Hara announced after Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Joseph Mwanamvekha presented the mid year budget after mid day on Friday that the members of parliament would be meeting at 2pm for the proceedings.

Parliament adjourns at 12:30pm every Friday for the special proceedings.

Chairperson of the Legal Affairs Committee of parliament Kezzie Msukwa said in an interview that his committee had asked for the meeting following the shooting down of the Constitutional amendments bills.

“We have been having serious discussions with the House leadership because the failure to pass the bills has thrown the country into a Constitutional crisis,” he said.

Among others, the failure to pass the bills means the country has no date for the Constitutional Court sanctioned fresh presidential election, it means if any presidential candidate fails to amass 50+1 votes cast, president Peter Mutharika will remain state president and Saulos Chilima, state vice president.

Msukwa was upbeat that the bills would be passed today ahead of the court deadline for the bills to be passed which elapses on Monday.

In its judgement of the presidential election case on 3rd February,2020,the Constitutional Court clarified that Section 80(2) of the constitution already provides for the 50+1 system of voting but asked legislators to come up with a law that would necessitate a run-off in case no candidate gets over half of the total votes.