Referendum on Malawi federalism gets PAC support

Malawi’s public affairs watchdog body, the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) has thrown its weight on the calls for a referendum to solve the impasse on whether the country should move to a federation.

PAC’s position comes immediately after the Malawi Government also said that if need be the country will go to a referendum to decide on the federal system or total secession of the northern region as being suggested by other quarters.

In an interview PAC spokesperson Rev. Father Peter Mulomole said it was pertinent that people have to decide what they want.

“We are not taking sides but issues like this require the decision of the majority not a fraction of people. If people want federalism or not let them speak through a referendum, time has come for Malawians to decide for themselves,” said Mulomole.

He stressed that parliament cannot decide on such issues but the concerned people themselves.

“As we are calling for the review of the country’s laws parliament cannot go it alone this requires all the people to get involved,” he said.

Main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) is among groups that engaged PAC and asked it for its facilitation.

MCP spokesperson Jessie Kabwila has argued that the federal government calls were as a result of nepotistic tendencies by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration.

An opinion poll administered by one online media in the country sided with those calling for the formation of a federation, but most of the respondents were against the call for the total secession of the northern region.

Information Minister Kondwani Nankhumwa said recently that Malawi Government intends to embark on a national wide civic education tour on the question of federalism, and secession.

He said if need be the exercise will end into an open referendum on the two matters.