Feedback On Rejected Bills Yet to Get to Parliament

Feedback On Rejected Bills Yet to Get to Parliament

Parliament says is yet to receive formal feedback from President Peter Mutharika on  electoral bills he has purportedly refused to assent to as well as a recommendation that Malawi Electoral Commission Commissioners should be fired.

In an interview with Zodiak Online Assistant Clerk of Parliament Responsible for Protocol and Public Relations, Leonard Mengezi said in an interview this morning the President remains with four days before the end of 21 days in which parliament is supposed to receive feedback.

Presidential Spokesperson Mgeme Kalirani told the Media in Blantyre on Tuesday that the President has decided not to sign the electoral bills.

He said there were some serious legal anomalies which prompted the Head of State to come up with the decision.

Kalirani further said a recommendation that MEC Commissioners should be fired which was made by the Public Appointments Committee of Parliament was also turned down by the president.

But Mengezi said no official communication has reached   the Office of the Speaker of Parliament for her action.

“We are just waiting for a formal communication. Usually such communication comes in form of a memo. It’s just a matter of time we might be formally communicated to accordingly by the Head of State,” he said.

According to Mengezi the Speaker shall decide on whether or not the bills should go back to parliament for deliberations after going through reasons given by the President on his current stand.

“We are within the 21 days so we just have to have the feedback formally so that the Speaker can see the way forward.

“The bills can come back to the house if there will be such a need but it also depends on whether the house will meet soon or not,” said Mengezi.

The three electoral bills were passed by parliament following a court order demanding that the process be done within 21 days.

This aimed at setting procedures to be followed in conducting elections using the 50+1 System which the Constitutional Court ordered should first be used a fresh presidential election.

A recommendation by PAC that MEC Commissioners should be fired was similarly made following a court order in its determination in the high profile presidential election case.

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Last modified on Thursday, 19/03/2020

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