HRDC vigils shifted to Tuesday

Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) has shifted vigils which were scheduled for today at Parliament to tomorrow to allow Members of Parliament (MPs) to debate the election bills on the the final day as ordered by the Constitutional Court recently.

HRDC Chairperson, Timothy Mtambo, during a press briefing in Lilongwe yesterday, said the vigils would be held tomorrow should the MPs do the opposite today.

The court ordered Parliament to pass legislation for the operationalization of the 50 percent-plus-one provision in choosing the country’s President.

But 21 days will end today for Parliament to pass the bills to allow the country to hold fresh presidential election within 150 days from February 3 2020 when the court delivered its judgement.

Meanwhile, HRDC has also threatened to hold demonstrations in each constituency for MPs who are against the reforms in the august House.

Mtambo said HRDC was also concerned with the behaviour of some of the MPs in Parliament last week.

“It is sad that some of the MPs are not behaving in the right manner. We will facilitate demonstrations in constituencies for those legislators who are against the electoral reforms bills.

We have to make decisions for the generations for us to move forward,” Mtambo, who was flanked by HRDC Vice-Chairperson Gift

Trapence and member Luke Tembo, said.

The court nullified the May 21 2019 presidential election where President Peter Mutharika was declared the winner, citing massive irregularities during the results management.

The verdict followed a successful petition by Malawi Congress Party president Lazarus Chakwera and his UTM counterpart Saulos Chilima.

Following the court ruling, Chilima was reinstated as the country’s Vice-President.