Quasi-religious body Public Affairs Committee (PAC) has urged opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to consider forming a strategic political alliance ahead of the September 16 General Election.
The grouping made the call yesterday in Mangochi following a closed-door meeting with opposition DPP president Peter Mutharika at his lakeside residence.
Speaking in an interview after meeting Mutharika, PAC publicity secretary Bishop Gilford Matonga described the engagement as crucial, saying it addressed a wide range of election-related issues.
He said: “We discussed the importance of establishing a visionary and patriotic alliance that prioritises the national interest over personal or party agendas.
“The country needs leaders who are committed to building a better nation, not those driven by selfish or greedy motives.”
Matonga further said they commended Mutharika for his willingness and openness to dialogue and urged him to champion peace and unity by discouraging political violence among DPP supporters.
On his part, Mutharika thanked PAC for initiating the engagement, emphasising the importance of such discussions with faith leaders in addressing electoral concerns raised by various stakeholders.
He also underscored the need for transparency in the electoral process and advocated for manual vote counting by the Malawi Electoral Commission to ensure credible results.
In January, the grouping also met President Lazarus Chakwera to call him to act on corrupt officials and those who abuse office.
During that meeting, the quasi-religious body further expressed concern on local and international trips involving the President and his Cabinet which send a wrong message on government’s seriousness to control public expenditure given the current state of the economy.
PAC also reminded the President on some of his commitments he made to the committee in 2019 which included having a Cabinet of less than 20 members, a promise Chakwera has not fulfilled.
Meanwhile, PAC has announced plans to convene an All-Inclusive National Conference from May 20 to 21 in Blantyre.
The event aims to bring together key electoral stakeholders to forge consensus on best practices for the upcoming elections. PAC, which comprises members of all religious bodies in the country, is headed by Monsignor Patrick Thawale as chairperson with Osman Karim as v ice-chairperson. Other members are Matonga Father Mark Mkandawire, Agnes Kamoto, Matilda Matabwa and Sheikh Jaafar Kawinga.
