Majority support death penalty abolishment

The Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs has finalised its public inquiries on the death penalty with the majority of Malawians supporting its abolishment.

In an interview with The Nation on Wednesday, the committee chairperson Peter Dimba said they had three consultative meetings in Lilongwe, Mzuzu and Blantyre to solicit views from the public on the proposal for its abolition.

He said: “Those that came to the meetings overwhelmingly supported the abolition of death penalty.”

Dimba said the committee will present its report in Parliament with recommendations to the Ministry of Justice, based on the solicited views to facilitate the amendment of the Penal Code.

In a separate interview on Thursday, Church and Society executive director Moses Mkandawire said government should not rush to abolish the death penalty as it serves as a deterrent.

He said: “Many European countries have abolished the death penalty, but they are less democratic than we are, and its lawmakers are less accountable to the people in their countries.”

Mkandawire said for the death penalty to be applied fairly, the country must strive to make the criminal justice system work as it was intended.

“There are, to be sure, heartfelt arguments for people to be against the death penalty, not the least of which are religious, moral, or other reasons and beliefs. There are also valid arguments regarding the historical use of the death penalty against minorities,” he said.

The parliamentary committee’s consultations followed wide debate on the need for Malawi to abolish the death penalty.

Since the advent of multi-party politics in 1994, no president has signed death warrant.

Former president Bakili Muluzi, who governed from 1994 to 2004 did not sign for any death sentence. While his successors, Bingu wa Mutharika, Joyce Banda and Peter Mutharika did not also sign any death warrant.

Incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera is yet to sign such a warrant.