Some candidates will not take part in presidential debates –  Misa Malawi

February 19, 2019 Alfred Chauwa –Nyasa Times 30 Comments

A task force organising the upcoming March 29 and April 5 presidential debate have announced that  there were eight requirements, seven of which the  candidates  should fulfill to qualify  in taking part.


Ndanga addresses a news conference flanked by Frank Chakhaza of Zodiak TV (L) Goerge Kasakula of Times (r) and Vincent Khonyongwa of MBC.

Media Institute of South Africa (Misa)  Malawi is organising the public debates with other electoral  stakeholders.

Addressing a news conference in Lilongwe on Monday,   Misa-Malawi chairperson Tereza Ndanga  said the requirements include that the candidates, party or coalition should have at least five percent of the 193 seats in the 2014 -2019 National Assembly of Malawi (Parliament),  proven ability to field no less than 50 % of candidates in the member of parliament election proportionally distributed across all three regions of the country .

Ndanga said other requirement is that only candidate, party and coalition should have  developed and publicly presented a policy platform or manifestos before the first debate.

She said the  Presidential Debates gives Malawians an opportunity to examine presidential candidates before the polls on May 21, 2019.

“The debates, being organised by a multi-stakeholder taskforce, will be held at the Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) on March 29 and April 5, 2019 in both English and Chewa and moderated by a mature, professional and impartial Malawian,” she said.

The task force has also included representative of taxpayer-funded Malawi Broadcasting Corporation, private owned Zodiak TV and Times TV.

In his remarks, Times Media Group Editor-In-Chief George Kasakura said the requirements will ensure that they have  serious contenders in the debate.

This will be the second time that the country is holding Presidential debates before the polls. The first ever Presidential Debates were held during the country’s first Tripartite Elections in 2014.

The 2019 Debates Taskforce Force believes that the 2019 debates will create a platform for the candidates to openly debate and commit to addressing several policy issues which they will be made to account for once elected into office.

The public have welcomed the debates but have observed that the running mates should have their  first showdown.

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30 replies on “Some candidates will not take part in presidential debates –  Misa Malawi”

  1. Let Ndanga-Kasakula and company set those silly conditions, but they will be disappointed to see that their favoured candidate will give last minutes excuse not participate in the debate because he will be down with flu.

  2. Guys ngati Bullets ndi Noma ikusewera game Pa Civo, Ife okonda zowonera timapita mwachangu kuti tikaonere akalambula bwalo like DD Sunshine Vs Chinsapo Sisters. So a Misa mwaganiza bwanji kukonza debate yopanda kalambula bwalo? Andituma a Chimulilenji akuti akufuna debate yamu Chizungu Pa 20 March

  3. I dont think you did put thoughts on this. Kasakula and freinds u have goofed apa. We want future president not if 2014..and not of 5% in parl. Makuwaku , -and others should give Malawian what they have in stock. Osawapondereza…ur debate is debatable… mwafoyira sit down and rethink. We need Hot Current on this and see how stupid George will be to defend.

  4. MISA< you mean you are interested in the old parties and discounting new parties like UTM. Times Group and your mbuzi mano kunsi Ndanga shame on you. Whatever tricks you play you will not win – your candidates will flop miserably despite giving them a platform to talk rubbish to us.

  5. Ndanga and your MISA, where have you fend those requirements from, please do some research and get all the necessary information what is required of a democratic presidential debate. Don’t come up with your requirements based your affiliation to one political party. How much have you been paid? Please Media should be in the forefront advocating for equality.

  6. Sounds ludicrous to me. 5% of parliamentary seats in 2014-2019. Are you saying that Chilima should not take part? UTM has more votes that UDF and PP combined if we were to vote today. Sinister!!!!

  7. This is stupid! As a democratic country, every presidential candidate should be allowed to debate without conditions. Oppression of smaller parties will not help DPP.

    1. WE CANT WASTE TIME WITH SWILA AND COMPANY. IF YOU WANT, ORGANIZE YOUR DEBATE WHEN YOU CAN FEATURE CHIKOMENI, SWIRA AND CHISI

  8. There is something DPP is doing with this -a no longer professional organisation.Teleza do you mean the qualification which were set by MEC are not sufficient.What are we trying to achieve? are we selling our democracy in 2019? Teleza you have to resign from your position as you have failed to maintain integrity. If MISA is doing this what should we expect from MACRA? or MBC.This is a shame to all professional journalist in Malawi.Mwalakwisa Mayi apa

  10. Is MISA- Malawi a serious organisation or a puppet organisation of a political party ? How can they justify the conditions they have put for aspirant Presidential candidates to fulfil in order to participate in this debate? This is stifling democracy. We need to hear all them with their vision of the future of Malawi. Please think again. Only honest debates can make proper leaders. MISA do not leave in the past !!!

  11. I am told the Leadership has received envelop to bar Chilima and that has been a condition from MBC _DPP …since APM is expected to be featured and can not face Chilima ….

  12. Definitely these conditions will hit UTM. And by MISA trying to accommodate the popular UTM, it will embarrass itself by ending up accommodating everyone

  13. Candidate has every right to participate or not its not necessary..mukukopela za azungu ovota ndife timapita kumisonkhano and tipeza ntgawi kuwerenga manifesto.Ma repoter ake azifukwa tipange hire Zayinab bwanji…akasakula a MCP..hehehe

  14. I think some of conditions as not necessary what has to do with 2014 yet the election is focusing about what the leaders have for the future of Malawians when Malawians are about to give new leadership mandate!

  16. I find the conditions that a candidate should have atleast 5% of the 193 MPs in the 2014- 2019 & fielding not less than 50% of MPs across the country as deliberate discrimination against new & independent entrants, denying malawians a chance to hear the developmental ideologies of some candidates. The candidates met conditions laid down by MEC, why provide a public space for some candidates to campaign and not others?

  18. Izi ndi zomwe zikukanidwa, ask Chikomeni, ..you are saying atleast 5% ..2014-2019 yet we are talking of what the presidential candidates will do 2019 -2024… mwaganiza bwanji pamenepa..

    1. Amene mukufuna zinazo tapangani organise yanu. These organisers are saying no candidate without representation in 2014-19 parly

      1. Hahaha akulu nde mwayankhula aeni ake anena anena basi amene akumva PAIN apange debate yake period osamangolubwa lubwa apa zaziii kumango panga makani mupusapo nazo apa

  20. Komano debate yapano izakhale mchichewa kuti ifeso wakumudzi tidzathe kunvako mfundozo. Chonde a Ndanga ndi anzanu, ndagwira mwendo wanu

    1. Chifukwa chiyani simunaphunzire kuti mudzimva chizungu? Mwina mudzidzawafunsa ana anu adzidzatanthauzira.

      1. Inu amanu ndi atata anu kumudzi amadziwa Chimzungu??? za Ziii Malawi is for Chichewa not English voters knows how to speak chichewa not chingelezi debate idzakhale ya chichewa period!!!

        1. It’s encouraging people to have an education, so they are not be left out and can make their political decision wisely. Kuti mwina angamawerengeko izo zimachitika kumayiko kwina, otherwise these politicians will keep on riding on the back on illiterate citizens.

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