Representatives of the Public Affairs Committee, Government Meet in LL

Representatives of the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) and the Government Technical Team (GTT) yesterday met and set the agenda for their dialogue to resume in earnest next Wednesday.

Both sides confirmed that the meeting, which lasted for about three hours in Lilongwe yesterday, was convened to set the ground after which the dialogue would resume.

PAC has been seeking to meet the GTT over resolutions of the 5+1 All-inclusive Stakeholders’ Conference held in June which, among others, proposed local government and national elections reforms.

While keeping a tight lid on the agenda of the meeting next week, leader of the GTT and Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Samuel Tembenu said the dialogue meetings have started on a good note.

“Today’s meeting was more of setting the ground for the discussions. We will continue next week Wednesday at 10am where we will be able to discuss in more detail what will transpire,” he said.

PAC chairperson the Reverend Felix Chingota described the preparatory meeting as frank and cordial.

He said the meeting prioritised issues of immediate concern. He also confirmed that electoral reforms could be among these.

PAC has already engaged various stakeholders, including the leader of opposition in Parliament and Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president Lazarus Chakwera and Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Kondwani Nankhumwa.

PAC secretariat wrote government on August 21 2017 that its board was seeking an audience with the team to discuss the reforms issues and Tembenu responded four days later on August 25, 2017 where he accepted their request.

President Peter Mutharika appointed the GTT following the outcome of an audience the quasi-religious institution had with him on April 21, 2016 where PAC presented resolutions from its February 2016 Fifth All-Inclusive Stakeholders Conference. n