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APM commits to attend PAC prayers

The Public Affairs Committee (PAC) says President Peter Mutharika has committed to attending national prayers and sign a peace declaration before the May 21 2019 Tripartite Elections.

 The quasi-religious body held a meeting with the President at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe yesterday where Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Samuel Tembenu, and presidential aides Bright Molande, Mavuto Bamusi and Timothy Khoviwa were also in attendance.

Chingota: The President accepted

PAC executive director Robert Phiri said the organisation presented two issues: plans to invite Mutharika to the National Prayers on the Signing  of Peace  Declaration to be held in May  2019 and their concerns on the Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) Act (Amendment) Bill which is yet to be tabled in Parliament.

 He said: “The President has accepted to attend prayers next year. On NGO Bill, they clarified that any submissions we can have as PAC, we can present them to the government.”

Presidential adviser on civil society, Bamusi, described the meeting as cordial.

 “The meeting was successful, it has proved that dialogue is indeed the best way forward,” hesaid.

In his remarks on the NGO Bill, PAC chairperson the Reverend Felix Chingota urged Mutharika to encourage more debate on the Bill.

“Any good policy and law initiated by the State is a conflict prevention tool as Malawi approaches the2019 elections. We note that this recent development has affected social cohesion among various stakeholders,” he said.

PAC stressed that it was in support of initiatives that hold all institutions accountable, including civil society organisations (CSOs), but felt the consultations on the bill were inadequate.

In an interview after the meeting, Chingota said PAC wrote the President to seek an audience with him fora discussion on the planned prayers.

PAC also wanted Mutharika, as leader of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), to sign a peace accord that was developed for the sake of enhancing peace and stability during the election period.

He said: “During the 2014 Tripartite Elections, we had prayers at Civo Stadium in Lilongwe. So we want to have the same next year. We want political parties to sign a peace declaration.We thought of starting with the President and then we will meet leaders of other political parties. The President has accepted our request.”

PAC wrote leaders of all political parties asking them to sign a peace deal before May 21 next year.

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