The quasi-religious body Public Affairs Committee (PAC) has urged President Lazarus Chakwera to practice good governance at his level and within the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) to avoid political violence as the country moves towards general elections in September this year.
The body chairperson Monsignor Patrick Thawale made the remarks when PAC leadership met Chakwera in Lilongwe on Monday.
“Your Excellency, electoral processes can build or destroy a country if not properly handled. Broader governance issues may affect positively or negatively the outcome of any electoral process. As we move to the 2025 Elections, Your Excellency’s role is crucial.
“We appreciate your condemnation of violence in various remarks made by your office. However, it is disappointing to note that it is alleged that MCP is becoming another instrument for oppression as we move to the 2025 Elections. The action to stifle demonstrations organized by the opposition was a primitive act in democratic Malawi. So too, we do not condone the stoning of Presidential Motorcades.
“Practicing good governance at your level and within MCP will be a conflict prevention tool in the forthcoming elections. You appoint competent officials in various agencies who are expected to deliver. If these agencies fail to meet public expectations in pursuit of their duties it is likely that election results may be disputed even if Your Excellency genuinely wins.
“We observe that several arrests of prominent figures have been effected of recently. Lessons learnt so far is that these arrests have not yielded results. We urge your government to ensure that these acts are not aimed at victimizing those who hold opposing views. We are not against the rule of law. We believe in it. All we are stating is that in the electoral process, caution has to be exercised so that certain acts do not reflect badly on Your Excellency,” he said
