Background
This aims at holding leaders accountable:
- Development of 19 issues raised with the Presidential Candidates in 2014, followed by interface meetings
- Political Party responses on the 19 issues
- Interface meeting with Speaker of National Assembly – S64 and S65
Selected Key PAC Advocacy Interventions
Contentious issues deliberated on from PAC All-Inclusive Stakeholders Conferences have been a stepping stone for most stakeholders to appreciate issues, recommendations and specific resolutions submitted to the Head of State after the events. The organisation has achieved a certain level of gravitas – having the power of convening stakeholders at all levels. PAC maintained national dialogue with Government Technical Team through which resolutions were adopted for implementation. In 2017 government attributed implementation of PAC resolutions such as – eenactment of the; Access to Information Act; Greenbelt Initiative Act and creation of the Greenbelt Authority; National Planning Commission Act, and establishment of the National Planning Commission – to PAC’s initiatives. Such positive strides were officially attributed by Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs. Further, based on petitions to the Head of State and Speaker of Parliament, Government’s tabling of electoral reforms bill, and lobbying Parliament Business Committee to prioritize the bills – have been registered as a success of PAC’s intervention , despite the advocacy strategy of holding peaceful marches was postponed. Assertions by Daily Papers such as Nation and Daily Times (2017) that “PAC gets thumbs up but analyst warn new bill details pose fresh threat” and that “Government bows down to pressure – promises to table 2 bills, 4 later” (The Nation, 13 December, 2017 and The Daily Times, 6 December, 2017) demonstrated appreciation despite frustrations from the postponed peaceful marches.
Constitutional amendments ought to be seen in light of AU policies. Section (95) (1) of the AUTJ on benchmarks and standards for successful political and institutional reform may include: “Constitutional and legal reforms based on inclusive and fully consultative processes…..”. In early 2000, UDF-led government hatched plans without consultation to amend Constitution to allow the President in Malawi to stay in office with an open tenure. In the pursuit of transitional justice, FBOs and CSOs fought against such plans. In 2002, Parliament debated a proposal to amend the constitution to remove the limit on the term of office of the President (Open Term Constitutional amendment). Section 83 (3) of the Constitution of the Republic of Malawi deals with presidential terms. Between 1993–1994, Malawi drafted a new constitution enshrining a Chapter on human rights. In its original form, S83 (3) states that: ‘The President, the First Vice-President and the Second Vice-President may serve in their respective capacities a maximum of two consecutive terms’. The proposal tabled in the National Assembly was therefore intended to repeal S 83 (3) by replacing it with the following words: ‘The President shall be eligible to hold office for more than one term of office of five years.’ After this defeat most political commentators thought it was the end of the proposed amendment to S 83 (3). In a surprising twist, rumours spread in the month of September 2002 that the Government intended to amend the same provision but now to enable any President of Malawi to serve a maximum of three consecutive terms (Third Term Constitutional Amendment) (Kanyongoro 2003, Ross 2004) . In a bid to counter such moves, national consultation conference on constitutional matters, presentation of petition to the Parliamentary Legal Affairs Committee; and issuance of press releases were carried out by faith based organisations and CSOs. Maintenance of constitutional order and the enhancement of constitutionalism significantly became the core business of religious bodies in Malawi through PAC initiatives, noting that one of the tenets of transitional justice is the maintenance of constitutional order for justice and peace to prevail.
Related Publications
MINUTES OF A MEETING BETWEEN PAC BOARD MEMBERS AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE DPP WITH HIS ENTOURAGE ON MONDAY 17/2/2014 AT GOLDEN PEACOCK HOTEL IN LILONGWE
PETRA’S WRITTEN RESPONSES ON ISSUES RAISED BY PAC ON 13TH MARCH 2014 AT MOUNT SOCHE HOTEL, BLANTYRE
RESTORING DEMOCRATIC AND ECONOMIC GOVERNANCE - A CONSOLIDATED AND ANALYTICAL OVERVIEW OF RESPONSES AND COMMITMENTS OF POLITICAL PARTIES
Political Party Responses
UMODZI PARTY RESPONSE - ISSUES FOR ENHANCING TRANSFORMATIVE LEADERSHIP IN MALAWI
UDF RESPONSE - ISSUES FOR ENHANCING TRANSFORMATIVE LEADERSHIP IN MALAWI
TISINTHA ALLIANCE RESPONSE - ISSUES FOR ENHANCING TRANSFORMATIVE LEADERSHIP IN MALAWI
PPM RESPONSES - ISSUES FOR ENHANCING TRANSFORMATIVE LEADERSHIP IN MALAWI
PP RESPONSES - ISSUES FOR ENHANCING TRANSFORMATIVE LEADERSHIP IN MALAWI
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Audio Clips – Interface Meetings with Presidential Candidates and Other Authorities
Dr. Rev. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera - English
Prof. Arthur Peter Mutharika on PAC Report - English
Rev. Dr. Felix Chingota Meeting - English
Pastor Hellen Singh Vs PAC - English
Kamuzu Chibambo Vs PAC - English
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