Reforming electoral laws to unify Malawi, no single region dominates presidency – PAC

The quasi-religious organization, Public Affairs Committee (PAC), says reforming Electoral and Local Government Laws will help put to rest calls for federalism in Malawi.

PAC vice chairperson, Brother Osman Karim, made the remarks in an interview with Nyasa Times in Lilongwe on the sidelines of a press briefing the Committee held ahead of the landmark Constitutional Court ruling in the Presidential Elections case on February 3, 2020.

Karim observed that calls for federalism were a result of discontent over how government has been distributing resources and development, which seemed to favour one region (Southern Region) since the first multiparty elections in 1994.

“Some people think calls for federalism are from the north only. But I can assure you that even the Eastern Region is calling for the same because people there feel sidelined in the distribution of development and social amenities.

“So, the only way to deal with this problem is to reform our electoral as well as Local Government laws to ensure no single region dominates the presidency and also no single region enjoys development projects,” he said.

Karim emphasized that calls for federalism will never stop if the incumbent does not change its approach in the distribution of resources.

Meanwhile, the Constitutional Court has ordered the Malawi National Assembly to debate and adopt the proposed Electoral Laws, which include the 50 + 1.