Malawi’s civil rights activists, religious leaders and the media have anonymously agreed that the country should have its first ever tripartite elections come 2014.

This was agreed at a consultative meeting for the stakeholders on Tuesday in Blantyre. The gathering was organized to solicit views and discuss possibilities for a free and credible election in 2014.

The consultative meeting in Blantyre came following several recommendations made at the elections meeting which the Malawi Elections Support Network – MESN – conducted on August 2 in Lilongwe.

At the meeting stakeholders recommended that the country should hold tripartite elections come 2014 as stipulated in the constitution.

They also agreed that the 50-50 campaign be extended to aspiring female counselors.

MESN publicity secretary Mr. Steve Duwa called upon members of parliament to table and approves the tripartite Elections Bill in the forthcoming sitting of parliament in a bid to pave way for effective preparations.

“We would like to appeal to MPs not to waste time but approve the tripartite elections bill in the next sitting of parliament so that we can start preparing for the elections,” pleaded Mr Duwa.

In his remarks Malawi Electoral Commissions deputy chief elections Officer Mr. Harris Potani called upon civil society organizations and the media to be extra careful when covering elections.