Start tripartite elections preparations, CSOs told

Civil society organisations (CSOs) in Malawi have been challenged to start preparing for the 2014 tripartite elections.

Presidential adviser on CSOs, the Reverend Macdonald Sembereka, was speaking on Tuesday in Lilongwe during the opening of an advocacy strategy planning by the Malawi Electoral Support Network (Mesn).

“Civil society’s participation in elections adds value to making the polls credible, free and fair since they are a representative of the masses. It is, therefore, important for civil society organisations to start making preparations for Malawi’s first ever proposed tripartite elections.

“Government is committed to holding tripartite elections but processes have to be followed, including taking [the]law back to Parliament. The Electoral Commission has already started engaging electoral stakeholders on the proposal of having presidential, parliamentary and local polls at one time,” said Sembereka.

Said Mesn board member Billy Mayaya: “It is our wish that Malawi holds the three polls at once and as such, we have been engaging authorities on the matter so that they see the importance of holding the polls at once.”