Tag Archives: OSISA

POST-ELECTION STATEMENT

MEIC logo.

MEIC logo.

Statement for Immediate Release

Malawi 2014 Tripartite Elections

Post-Election Statement

May 21, 2014

 The Malawi Election Information Centre (MEIC) under the banner of the Malawi Electoral Support Network (MESN) would like to highlight a number of observations noted as we continue to observe the on-going voting process. The following observations cover the period since the last briefing at 10:30 hours yesterday morning.

From the onset, we would like to state that a total of 4450 observers were trained and deployed in all the districts across the country to observe the voting process.  In addition, we also trained 25 data officers to capture reports from observers. Continue reading

STATEMENT ON FIRST PHASE OF VOTING

MEIC logo.

MEIC logo.

Statement for Immediate Release

Malawi 2014 tripartite elections

Statement on First Phase of Voting

May 20, 2014

The Malawi Electoral Support Network (MESN) under the banner of the Malawi Election Information Centre (MEIC) would like to highlight a number of observations and concerns noted as polling opened today.

Opening Time

As MESN and indeed the entire taskforce on the Malawi Information Centre (MEIC), we would like to express our concern on the wide spread late opening of polling centres across the country. We note that most polling stations opened as late as 9 am instead of 6 am – and centres such as Mtantha in Mzimba had not opened by 9:30 with most complaints being registered in the cities of Blantyre and Lilongwe. Continue reading

Preliminary Pre-elections Situation Analysis Report

MEIC logo.

MEIC logo.

Malawi 2014 tripartite elections

Preliminary Pre elections Situation Analysis Report

The political context of 2014 tripartite elections – The 2014 tripartite elections in Malawi, which are the fifth multiparty elections and the first tripartite elections are taking place at a time when Malawi clocks 50 years of independence and 20 years of multiparty democracy.  Whilst the journey of the last two decades has been a political roller coaster ride, the period between 2009 -2011  had been particularly tenuous. The death of President Mutharika in April 2012 and the succession of Joyce Banda surviving a coup attempt by the senior Cabinet members of Mutharika government gave a ray of hope for democracy and constitutionalism. Things did start to change for the better under the Joyce Banda administration , however, in the later part of 2013  the exposure of blatant fraud and massive financial embezzlement of tax coffers by senior government officials at Capital Hill, commonly called the ‘Cashgate’ demonstrated the entrenched corruption and weak mechanisms to deal with it.  At the regional level the elections are taking place during Malawi’s chair of SADC and elections having been held in South Africa and to be held in Botswana and Mozambique.  A credible election in Malawi will no doubt have a positive influence on elections in the sub-region and the continent.  Continue reading

Pre-election Situational Statement

MEIC logo.

MEIC logo.

 Statement for Immediate Release

Malawi 2014 tripartite elections

Pre elections situation

May 19, 2014

The Malawi Electoral Support Network (MESN) under the banner of the Malawi Election Information Centre (MEIC) would like to highlight a number of pertinent issues that could potentially have both negative and positive impact on the upcoming Elections.

On the positive side, MESN would like to commend MEC for improving the flow of information and timely reporting and consultations with key stakeholders. We believe that the constant flow of information from MEC has helped reduce the level of bias on the part of the election management body.

Another notable development is the presidential debates. The debates have provided candidates the opportunity to dialogue with the voters and to turn the campaign into an issue-based one. As MESN we believe in issue based elections and we will support the sustainability of this initiative to ensure that Malawians vote for candidates based on issues and policies and not otherwise as has been the trend in the past. Continue reading

WE NOW WELCOME MALAWIANS TO CITIZEN JOURNALISM

 

Citizen sends a message reporting on upcoming elections.

Citizen sends a message reporting on upcoming elections.

MALAWI Election Information Center (MEIC) is now getting ready to launch the Citizen Journalism as a way of offering all Malawians the opportunity to voice out their views on all that concerns the elections. The idea is that they will go as far as reporting on any events they deem important on ensuring a free, fair and credible elections come May 20th, 2014.

MEIC introduced the mobile and web verification to the nation as a way of making it convenient for all those registered voters who never managed to get to the polling station on time to register. Mobile verification was simple in the sense that people just sent their ID numbers to 5VOTE (58683) and they got feedback on whether they were verified or not. This system will finally end on Thursday, 15th May, 2014. Continue reading

AN END TO THE DEBATES

FOR the first time in the country, Malawi held three Presidential Debates where Malawians got a chance to hear first-hand what presidential candidates had to say when presented with questions regarding their ideas and policies.

MISA Chairperson Anthony Kasunda giving a speech.

MISA Chairperson Anthony Kasunda giving a speech.

This added to the fact that the elections will be the first tripartite elections where Malawians will be able to vote for Presidential candidates, Parliamentary and local councillors. The Chairperson of Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), Anthony Kasunda “The May 2014 elections are particularly unique, as they come at a time of years of Independence” Continue reading

PRESS STATEMENT: Second Presidential Debate

Pres. Debate Press Statement

Presidential Debates 2014

For Immediate release, 24 April, 2014

The multi-stakeholder Taskforce on Malawi Presidential Debates, chaired by the National Media Institute of Southern Africa (NAMISA), will hold a second Presidential Debate on Tuesday, April 29, 2014. The debate will take place at the Bingu International Conference Centre, (BICC), from 6:00 to 9:00 pm and broadcast live on radio, television and internet.

The debate will be limited to political parties fielding parliamentary candidates in not less than 10 percent of the total 193 constituencies. The same criteria will be used for the third debate scheduled for Victoria Hotel in Blantyre on May 6. Continue reading

Presidential Debate

United they stand: The sight presidential candidates.

United they stand: The eight presidential candidates. Courtesy of Nation Publication Limited

8 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES SHOW UP FOR DEBATE

Eight of the 12 presidential candidates showed up on Tuesday evening at Bingu International Conference Centre for the first ever debate Malawi’s history as the country is gearing up for the May 20 tripartite elections.

The presidential candidates present were Atupele Muluzi of the United Democratic Front, Helen Singh of United Independence Party; James Nyondo of National Salvation Front; Mark Katsonga of Peoples Progressive Movement; John Chisi of Umodzi Party; Friday Jumbe of New Labour Party; Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi Congress Party and Kamuzu Chibambo of Peoples Transformation Party.

For more details. CLICK HERE.

 

PRESS STATEMENT: Presidential Debates 2014

Pres. Debate Press Statement

Presidential Debates 2014

For Immediate release, 17 April, 2014

The multi-stakeholder Taskforce on Malawi Presidential Debates, chaired by the National Media Institute of Southern Africa (NAMISA), will hold a Presidential Debate for all 12 aspiring presidential candidates on Tuesday, April 22, 2014. The debate will take place at the Bingu International Conference Centre, (BICC), from 6:00 to 9:00 pm and broadcast live on radio, television and internet.

Second and third presidential debates are also scheduled for April 29 and May 6 in Lilongwe and Blantyre respectively, and will include those political parties fielding parliamentary candidates in 10 percent of constituencies across the country. Continue reading

“Malawi’s missed opportunity for electoral reforms threatens to undermine 2014 polls ”

20140415_135027AS Malawi gears up to go to what many are calling the closest electoral race in its history, a new report entitled: “Malawi- Political Participation and Democracy,” has pointed to the missed opportunity for electoral reforms in the country.

It states that the First Past The Post (FPTP) electoral system does not appear to be serving Malawi well.  And ‘losers’ have ended up being crowned ‘winners’ in general elections.

Currently Malawi’s electoral rules states that any person vying for political office is deemed the winner based on a simple majority.In essence, one can be a winner of an election without a mandate, as was the case in 1994 with former president Muluzi, who received only 47% of the vote.

Ten years later this trend was repeated by late Bingu wa Mutharika, who garnered only 36% of the vote, yet still went on to be president, (although in 2009 Mutharika had 66% of the vote).  In essence 64% of electorates rejected him, but because of the FPTP system, he ended up being at the helm of government. Continue reading