Speaker, Minister of Justice rubbishes clergy’s call to pass electoral reform bill

Speaker of Parliament Richard Msowoya said the august House will not debate and pass the electoral reform bills especially in the ongoing session as demanded by members of the clergy.

According to Msowoya, who is also the vice President for the main opposition, Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and Karonga Nyungwe legislature,  it is not practical for Parliament to pass the bill in such way.

Msowoya was reacting to the members of the clergy’s petition that they presented to his office last week.

“They are number of procedures that the bill go through before passed in Parliament. The electoral reform bills is yet to pass in such procedures, therefore, it will not be tabled in the current sitting,” said Msowoya.

Minister of Justice, Samuel Tembenu while echoing with Msowoya said the executive is not afraid of the members of the clergy’s petition and threat to hold a national wide demonstration.

According to him, members of the clergy should forget about the development as government is and will not be shaken with a national wide demonstration.

“As executive we are not shaken with the clergy’s petition. We shall bring the bill to the current sitting of Parliament. If they want to hold a national wide demonstration it means they want to exercise their constitutional rights and we shall not stop them,” said Tembenu.

In the petition which was also presented to the country’s President Peter Mutharika, the members of the clergy gave both the Speaker and Mutharika seven days ultimatum to pass the bill within the current sitting or face a national wide demonstration.

Some civil society organisations, opposition parties and donors community are in support to the members of clergy’s call apart from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).