PRESS RELEASE

NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ELECTORAL REFORMS IN MALAWI

9th December, 2014

To strengthen the movement for electoral reforms in Malawi, Malawi Electoral Support Network (MESN) spearheaded the process of inclusion and consultation through the formation of a National Taskforce on Electoral Reforms in Malawi. Members of the taskforce are: Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC), National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Public Affairs Committee (PAC), National Democratic Institute (NDI), Centre for Multiparty Democracy (CMD), Malawi Law Commission, Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, NGO Gender Coordination Network, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and Malawi Electoral Support Network (MESN).

The National Task Force is Co-Chaired by Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) and Malawi Electoral Support Network (MESN).

The main role of the task force is to lead in Electoral Reform where several activities will be implemented in order to achieve the reform agenda. As such, the National Task Force on Electoral Reforms in Malawi has organized a two-day national conference on Electoral Reforms from 11th-12th December 2014 in Lilongwe at Golden Peacock Hotel. The conference will draw participants from government ministries and departments, civil society and faith-based organizations, political parties, media, security agents, academia, traditional leaders, constitutional bodies, and international partners.

The conference will be officially opened by the Minister of Lands and Housing, Hon. Bright Msaka, SC, who is also Vice-Chairperson of Cabinet Committee on Legal and Parliament Issues.

Conference Objectives

  1. Initiate a movement for electoral reform in Malawi
  2. Debate advantages and disadvantages of various electoral systems and practices
  3. Discuss recommendations from issues papers presented at the conference.
  4. Formulate a national technical working group on electoral reforms.
  5. Establish an Expert Reference Group on Electoral Reforms.

Themes

The task force has come up with four major themes which will be deliberated at the conference namely:

  1. Electoral systems,
  2. Legal framework,
  3. Election Management,
  4. Civic and Voter Education.

Contacts

Robert Silungwe, Network Coordinator

Email; [email protected],

Phone: 0888 325 582/0995 689 033.

With support from;