By Durell Namasani
Human Rights Consultative Committee (HRCC), says it is against the political party demonstration slated tomorrow calling the parties to respect the due process of elections, refraining from confusing the electorate.
In a press statement which Board Chairperson of HRCC Robert Mkwezalamba and Board Member Desmond Mhango has signed has highlighted that political party actions has the potential to incite public discontent and anger which has an effect of discouraging people to go and register thereby creating a voter apathy and loss of trust on electrol body whose determination will not guarantee a fair, free and credible elections.
“Our convictions are that the majority of calls made by the parties are already dealt with and that the issue of using National IDs is being addressed and guided by the court,” Mkwezalamba said.
He further said whereas parties feel the choice of Smartmatic is wrong based on issues raised in other countries, HRCC has established that majority cases against Smartmatic have been proven wrong as 17th October, 2024 US court ruled Smartmatic as genuine.
HRCC also finds the calls for the resignation of Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson as insensitive to the dictates of free and democratic society.
“HRCC finds it questionable for the parties to raise their concerns today, when Justice Annabel Mtalimanja has served in numerous public offices including presiding over matters of politicians where she remain impartial and her determination has stood a taste as a time of her being a judge to say the least,” Mkwezalamba further highlighted.
HRCC is also urging with opposition political parties to check with National Registration Bureau (NRB) to monitor the progress of National ID registration if they feel that figures that are presented are being cooked up.
They are therefore calling for all political parties to embark on a serious awareness campaign to reach out to all areas where MEC and NRB are yet to conduct registration to ask people to go to NRB offices to register in readiness for election registration.
HRCC is therefore calling for all political parties to seriously reflect on their conduct a nd ensure their actions does not promote voter apathy and creates a pit in which they will be the victims for their careless thoughts over the elections.
Lastly they are calling MEC to proceed in undertaking registration in all designated centres, CSOs and NICE Trust to intensify civic and voter education as well as awareness, DPP, UTM and AFORD desist from raising unnecessary tension and seeking to incite violation and discontent among Malawians as well as that MEC should continue with transparent sharing of all matters concerning the elections to ensure the public and genuine stakeholders have the right to access genuine information towards enabling them make right choices in the fourth coming polls.
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