The second round of presidential debate ahead of the September 16 General Election is set for tonight, but again without Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidates.
Presidential Debate Task Force chairperson Golden Matonga said in a statement yesterday that the task force sent invitations to DPP, MCP, UTM, PP and UDF to participate in the second round of the debate and it was looking forward to having all the parties.
He said shunning the debates may imply denying citizens an opportunity to get answers on certain issues and make informed decisions.
“Debates do not only act as an accountability mechanism on certain topics, but also provide an opportunity for candidates to clarify manifesto pledges and demonstrate their viability and feasibility as linked to the national development priorities,” said Matonga, who is Media Institute of Southern Africa Malawi Chapter chairperson.
The Nation has gathered that as was the case during the first debate, only three candidates have confirmed; namely, UDF’s Atupele Muluzi, former president Joyce Banda leading PP and UTM Party candidate Dalitso Kabambe. The trio also participated in the first round held on August 21.
President Lazarus Chakwera representing MCP and his predecessor Peter Mutharika of DPP have been shunning the debates despite being tipped in opinion surveys as the frontrunners in the September 16 General Election.
In an interview yesterday, DPP spokesperson Shadric Namalomba said Mutharika will not participate in the second presidential candidates’ debate, adding that the party is already engaging Malawians on election matters through other means.
“If the organisers of the debate have questions to ask our president, we can arrange for a meeting and he will address those questions, but for the debates the party has made it clear that we are not taking part,” he said.
MCP spokesperson Jessie Kabwila asked for more time to consult on whether there is a change on the stand the party made earlier. But in an earlier statement she said the party had reservations with the consultation and other arrangements.
Mutharika has openly stated that he made a decision to no longer involve himself in the debates alleging that when he participated in the debate in 2014, he discovered that one of the participants was given questions in advance.
