Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has penned the High Court seeking clarification on whether President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika is in contempt or not for refusing to assent to the electoral reform bills.
President Mutharika on Tuesday through his spokesperson Mgeme Kalilani refused to assent to four electoral reform bills, arguing that the bills are in conflict with the Constitution of the land.
Mutharika also rejected Public Appointment Committee (PAC) of Parliament recommendations asking the President to fire all Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) commissioners led by its Chairperson Dr. Jane Ansah.
In a letter delivered to Lilongwe High Court signed by CDEDI Interim Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa, CDEDI feels Mutharika is in contempt of court for rejecting the bills.
“As we are writing this letter, Mutharika has sent back the bills to Parliament and has also refused to act on PAC’s recommendations to fire the commissioners. This is in spite the fact that Malawians followed for themselves the proceedings on radio and television and agreed that they are indeed incompetent to preside over free, fair and credible elections in Malawi. It is CDEDI’s considered view that by sending back the bills to Parliament and by not firing the commissioners Mutharika has failed to comply with a constitutional court order, we therefore seek to request the court to hold him in contempt of court order.
“CDEDI believes that Mutharika’s action has the high potential to degenerate the country into a lawlessness state a development which we believe will impact negatively on the poor and the less privileged in our society. This is only applicable in the jungle where only the strong survive not in the modern day democracy,” reads in part the letter.
Below is the letter;
