By Mercy Matonga:
Political parties Wednesday welcomed and, in the same breath, warned newly confirmed Registrar of Political Parties Kizito Tenthani to distance himself from political interests if his office is to be treated with respect.
The development came after the Public Appointments Committee (Pac) of Parliament confirmed Tenthani as the first Registrar of Political Parties in Malawi.
One of the sticky issues he is expected to deal with pertains to the giving of hand-outs during campaign.
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As the country prepares for the September 16 2025 Local Government, Parliamentary and Presidential Elections, the issue has already attracted controversy from political parties and organisations.
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Some political parties have called for more consultations on the issue while others want the registrar to adopt a hard stand against handouts.
The new Political Parties Act prohibits handouts during political campaigns, a phenomenon most politicians have used to woo votes from supporters.
Government appointed Tenthani to the position in April this year after he underwent interviews that were conducted by the Civil Service Commission in January this year.
Pac Chairperson Joyce Chitsulo told The Daily Times Wednesday, immediately after the meeting with Tenthani, that the committee was fully satisfied with Tenthani’s credentials.
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“We really wanted to know what he is going to do to change the way some political parties are run in line with the Political Parties Act,” Chitsulo said.
She added that committee members were looking forward to a leadership that is not biased, as the position is prone to political influence.
“We were also mindful of the fact that this is the first time we are going to have a Registrar of Political Parties and we wanted someone who does not have any political affiliation to avoid bias,” Chitsulo said.
Tenthani did not speak much when contacted for a comment.
“It is true that I appeared before the Public Appointments Committee this morning. I have learnt from social media that I have been confirmed. It is an exciting but also a hugely humbling prospect to become the first substantive Registrar of Political Parties. At this point, I don’t have much to say until I actually assume the office,” Tenthani said.
The government hired the Registrar of Political Parties after the new Political Parties Act of 2018 came into force.
In the absence of the Registrar of Political Parties, the Registrar General was doubling as Registrar of Political Parties.
The law, which came into force on December 1 2018, establishes a new procedure for registering political parties, bans handouts and requires parties to reveal their funding sources.
When contacted, UTM spokesperson Felix Njawala cautioned Tenthani to avoid getting involved in political dealings.
“We have welcomed the development because he is someone who has worked with political parties for a long time. Our advice is that he should refrain from getting involved with political parties as his position might be prone to be influenced by political parties,” Njawala said.
Malawi Congress Party (MCP) spokesperson Peter Ching’oma also welcomed Tenthani and said he looked forward to seeing how he would address the issue of handouts during political campaign.
“This is a welcome development, especially in our political landscape. Long at last, now we have a Registrar of Political Parties. This is a crucial position that will help to ensure that there is sanity in the country during campaign and in the actual process of elections.
“Since the enactment of the handouts [provision in the] Act, there has never been an initiative to enforce the Act because there has never been an office-bearer in full-time capacity,” Ching’oma said.
On his part, People’s Party spokesperson Ackson Kalaile said Tenthani is suited to the task at hand.
“He is qualified for the job. Not only does he possess the necessary skills and expertise, but he is also highly knowledgeable about the political landscape of this country. His apolitical stance adds a unique value as it will ensure impartiality and fairness in his decision-making process,” Kalaile said.
The Political Parties Act requires political parties to submit financial reports to the Registrar, who is required to publish the reports and also make them available on request under the Access to Information Act.
Under Section 40(2) of the Constitution, a party represented in Parliament which secured at least 10 percent of the national vote in parliamentary elections is eligible for State funding through a budget vote of the National Assembly.
Since 1995, eligible political parties have enjoyed State funding but without any regulation, transparency or accountability for it.
The 2018 Political Parties Act requires political parties to prepare and submit financial reports and subjects them to audit.
The Act allows political parties to receive private funding and donations from any individual or organisation, within or outside Malawi, and stipulates that a political party may perform any lawful activity for the purpose of raising funds for the party.
This has, all along, been the practice and is believed to have provided a conducive environment for corruption to finance political activities and also illicit inflows of money from outside the country.
Under the Political Parties Act, sources of funds and amounts received have to be disclosed through a process managed by the Registrar of Political Parties.
