‘I would accept it with a lot of humility knowing that it is a much anticipated office in the country and to be the first Registrar of Political Parties is a big thing. I am looking forward to giving it a best shot.’
As the country moves closer to the 2025 elections, government has hired Centre for Multiparty Democracy (CMD) Executive Director Kizito Tenthani as Registrar of Political Parties.
Tenthani’s role will be to champion the Political Parties Act which became operational in December 2018.
Despite the law coming into effect, parties have not been complying with its provisions on the basis of the absence of the Registrar of Political Parties.
Now the vacancy is filled.
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Ministry of Justice spokesperson Frank Namangale confirmed the development Friday.
He said Tenthani came top during interviews conducted by the Civil Service Commission in January this year.
“I confirm that Dr. Kizito Tenthani has been appointed as Registrar of Political Parties after he became tops at Civil Service Commission interviews he participated in January this year,” he said.
Namangale said Tenthani’s confirmation is subject to confirmation by the Public Appointments Committee (Pac) of Parliament as stipulated by the law.
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“His appointment is subject to confirmation by Public Appointments Committee of Parliament, and arrangements are underway for him to appear before this Committee. The date of appointment was 8th April, 2024,” he said.
Among others, the Political Parties Act bans giving out handouts by politicians and calls for disclosure of party financing.
In July 2021, the Malawi Law Society (MLS) wrote the then acting-Registrar of Political Parties to provide to them information reflecting on the state of compliance with the party funding laws for the four major political parties in the country for the period of January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2020.
Speaking to Malawi News Friday, MLS president Patrick Mpaka said Tenthani is an experienced political scientist and fits the job.
Burt he said the success of his office will be dependent on support that he would get from the authorities.
“It makes sense to recruit such an experienced political scientist to occupy that office at this critical time of the country’s electoral cycle but so much in terms of success and impact of that office depends on what support he will get while in that office if he goes past the Pac,” he said.
Tenthani confirmed receiving the letter and said once confirmed by Pac he will take the responsibility with humility.
“I would accept it with a lot of humility knowing that it is a much anticipated office in the country and to be the first Registrar of Political Parties is a big thing and I am looking forward to giving it a best shot,” he said.
He, however, said it is too early to disclose measures he will put in place to spearhead the adherence of the issues in the Political Parties Act ahead of the 2025 September elections.
“It is too early to make a comment on that because the process is still ongoing. I have to go through Pac and when I get the confirmation there are issues that have been there through the Registrar so I will have to appreciate what is on the ground and we will take it from there,” he said.
In August last year, during Parliament session Minister of Justice Titus Mvalo gave a brief statement relating to vital role of Registrar of Political Parties.
“The operationalisation of the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties is critical to the effective implementation of the Political Parties Act. The Office of Registrar General, which currently acts as the Registrar of Political Parties, has neither the resources nor capacity to effectively execute the functions that the [Office of Registrar of Political Parties] is expected to perform,” he said.
