Compliance on the legal prohibition of political parties giving out handouts to entice followers remains a challenge due to the absence of enforcement mechanisms since enactment of the relevant law in 2018, a recent study has revealed.

The study’s initial findings, as commissioned by the Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR), finds that the absence of regulatory provisions to normalize campaign financing, where almost all political aspirants engage in financial and material handouts to ensure their electoral victory, is a big blow to compliance of the Political Parties Act of 2018 (PPA).

A political governance expert Dr. Augustine Magolowondo says despite the delay in instituting regulations as an implementation mechanism for the PPA 2018, political parties, politicians and the public are enshrined in the culture of handouts, and that there is a need for a mindset change to ensure adherence to the law.

“As Malawians, we are all deep into giving out and receiving handouts to the extent that we take advantage of gaps in the legislation not to comply with the law, despite it being enacted in 2018.” Dr. Magolowondo told Zodiak in an interview when he was presenting the study’s initial findings to key stakeholders in Lilongwe.

“There are also several ambiguities and gaps in the law regarding how a political party can regulate gifts and donations of monetary value privately. The law does not qualify the source of funding, for instance, which is a serious gap,” he said.

Initiator of the study, CHRR, says the assessment on political campaign financing was necessary as the country heads to the September elections, with an official campaign period yet to be opened by authorities.

CHRR programme officer Dennis Mwafulirwa says the centre will make tangible recommendations to authorities regarding compliance gaps and shortfalls in political party and campaign financing.
 
“We are going to pay more attention to what the political parties will be doing and what the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties will be doing in terms of enforcing the law,” Mwafulirwa said.

CHRR instituted the study in coordination with Chisankho Watch, a consortium of four civil society organizations set up to ensure transparent elections in the country. It comprises Public Affairs Committee (PAC), Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP), the Gender Justice Unit and the Meeting Hub (MHub).

(Written By: Charles Vintulla)