‘God has rejected 50+1 electoral reform bill’ –Ex diplomat Dr. Chikago

Former Ambassador to Japan, John Chikago, has hailed Members of Parliament especially those from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for rejecting the Constitutional Amendment Bill, which had provisions for a re-run in the case that no candidate in a presidential election amasses over 50 percent of the total vote.

Chitipa West Parliamentarian, Kezzie Msukwa on Thursday moved a motion in the August House seeking guidelines in the event that no candidate obtains a clear majority and there is a re-run.

After the bill passed through all the required stages, Speaker of Parliament, Catherine Gotani Hara called on the members to vote to pass the bill. After the vote, 101 legislators voted for the bill, 71 voted against it, while 11 members were absent.

However, according to Gotani Hara, the votes in support of the bill failed to reach a two-thirds majority threshold required for Parliament to effect a constitutional amendment.

After the defeat of the bill, DPP Mps led by Bright Msaka jumped on the floor to celebrate their victory in the house.

Speaking in an interview with Faceofmalawi, Dr. Chikago hailed MPs for rejecting the 50+1 system of electing the President.

“The rejection by parliament not DPP was from God not the MPs. Malawi is a poor country. It has little resources to be wasting on elections.

“I must thank those MPs who voted No. Otherwise, those who voted YES are not patriotic. They saved partisan interests,” said Chikago.

Chikago said the 50+1 electoral bill will require political parties to form coalitions which may not work for the common good.

“Let us not allow few people mislead the wider public. Anyone proposing the introduction of 50 plus 1 is an enemy of the majority.”

“We as a national must sometimes, cross political boundaries to see issues without the political blindness. The 50 plus one although recommended by the Court is not good for Malawi.”

Chikago has since proposed for a proportional representation currently being practiced in South Africa and Lesotho.

“If the problem is the current first past the post, then I ask parliament or the courts to consider Proportional Representation. It works in Lesotho a small country and also South Africa a big country,” said Chikago.

The former Ambassador has since offered to help the August House in the implementation of a proportional representation.

In its judgment of the presidential election case on 3rd February,2020,the Constitutional Court clarified that Section 80(2) of the constitution already provides for the 50+1 system of voting but asked legislators to come up with a law that would necessitate a run-off in case no candidate gets over half of the total votes.

Meanwhile the way forward of the rejected Amendment bill will be known this afternoon.