Before we know it, the year 2025 will be here.
No, Maybe I have let the vehicle of my imagination travel too far.
Before we know it, some people with twisted minds will start verbally and physically attacking others they perceive as political opponents.
This has always been the case since 1994, when Malawians voted for multiparty politics.
Those that took over the wheels of power then made it a point to castigate political opponents at every turn. All of a sudden, political castigation became the new way of life.
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The good thing is, come 2025, when Malawians will go to the polls on September 16 to elect councillors, lawmakers and a Head of State, that will no longer be the case.
Why? The laws have changed. It is about issues, and not personalities, now.
Malawi Electoral Commission Chairperson Judge Chifundo Kachali has put it bluntly. “It is a criminal offence to incite violence or insult others. People can be arrested and prosecuted for [doing] that. Before making amendments to the Local Government, Parliamentary and Presidential Elections Act last year, anything that was altered at the political podium was protected as nobody could take you to task.
“And, now, we are reminding political actors that the law has been revised. You can actually be prosecuted if your conduct at political podia is going beyond what the law permits.”
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The message is loud and clear here. The days of dancing to the drums of foul-mouthed politicians is over.
For this, I must commend Kachali, lawmakers and the President for playing a productive role.
May facts rule.
However, only one problem has been solved; namely that of verbal diarrhoea.
There is another problem remaining, namely that of political violence.
People have been trying to address the problem by coming up with requisite laws.
In fact, the laws have paved the way for the creation of commissioners for the Malawi Peace and Unity Commission.
The Malawi Peace and Unity law was enacted in September last year. The law puts in place a legislative framework that will promote peace and unity in a coordinated, collaborative and structured manner to achieve political prosperity and socio-economic and cultural development goals.
Fine and well.
It is important that commissioners are appointed now.
After all, the National Peace Policy of August 2017, which mandates the commission to look at conflict zones and proactively diffuse possible conflicts, has already been in place for a long time.
That is the way to go.
