Some candidates will not take part in presidential debates – Misa Malawi
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.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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!!!!
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.
WE CANT WASTE TIME WITH SWILA AND COMPANY. IF YOU WANT, ORGANIZE YOUR DEBATE WHEN YOU CAN FEATURE CHIKOMENI, SWIRA AND CHISI
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
What kind of stupidity is this??……..soooo retarded mentality
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 !!!