By Suleman Chitera
President Lazarus Chakwera has directed Members of Parliament to reconvene in the National Assembly to deliberate on urgent matters surrounding the country’s electoral laws.
According to a document made available to the media, President Chakwera has invoked Section 67(4) of the Republican Constitution to facilitate the reconvening of Parliament, despite its recent dissolution on July 23 ahead of the upcoming general elections.
This move comes in response to growing concerns from civil society organizations over electoral laws that could potentially disenfranchise over 50,000 Malawians who are likely to be deployed to work in areas where they are not registered to vote.
Current legislation restricts individuals from casting their votes outside their designated registration centers, a situation that has drawn criticism and calls for urgent legal reforms.
Several non-governmental organizations have been pressuring the President to act swiftly, warning that failure to address this issue could compromise the inclusiveness and fairness of the elections.
In response, President Chakwera has instructed that Parliament reconvene on August 5, giving lawmakers an opportunity to amend the relevant laws and ensure that all eligible citizens are not left out of the voting process.
The President’s directive is being hailed by stakeholders as a proactive step towards strengthening Malawi’s democratic processes ahead of the highly anticipated polls.
