Chiefs need code of conduct—CCJP
The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) says there is need for a special code of conduct for chiefs because the behaviour of some of them puts into question their neutrality as the country prepares for the tripartite elections next year.
CCJP national coordinator Chris Chisoni said this in an interview following the launch of a Code of Conduct the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has prepared for political parties and candidates, the civil society organisations (CSOs) and the media.
Said Chisoni: “There are experiences in some parts of the country [indicate] that some chiefs are also leaders of political party structures at community level when they are supposed to be neutral; the complicated struggles among purported chieftaincy families arising from numerous politically oriented leadership elevations of chiefs, in so doing creating a wider cobweb of political loyalists among promoted chiefs, have led to a situation where political neutrality of traditional leaders is highly questionable.
“As such, it is a must, just like MEC has prepared and made CSOs, media houses, political parties sign codes conducts; for traditional leaders to have their own code of conduct,” he said.
Chisoni said some chiefs in the country have shown trends of being politically orientated in the disguise of “supporting government of the day” of “working with government” or “working for development” as justifications for promoting political parties that are in power.
MEC spokesperson Sangwani Mwafulirwa said the development of a code of conduct would be a longterm solution which has to follow a thorough process.
Said Mwafulirwa: “The Commission is currently meeting traditional leaders on the registration exercise and also continues to provide civic education on the expectations of the commission from them.”
