VOTERS RIGHTS TOWARDS ELECTIONS

By Emmanuel mwale

E ach passing day, confirms the drawing closer of elections that are to be held in the country
in 2009. The general elections promise to be full of fire works. Many believe it will be
time for change and a new dawn for either party that comes out the winner.

The elections are to be held in the country after a long struggle of political intolerance that has
planted a lot of hatred and insults to many. In the past four years since the last general elections
were held there have been political enemity that has managed to derail the country in the
development sector.

Among many of the political heavy weights that are to make the 2009 another entertaining year
are Kamlepo Kalua the president of Malawi Democratic Party (MDP), Dr. Bakili Muluzi
chairman and presidential aspirant, Dr, Bingu Wa Mutharika current president and presidential
candidate for Democratic progressive party (DPP), Gwanda Chakwamba president of the
Republican party who was a minister of agriculture In Mutharikas’ administration before he was
sacked, John Tembo leader of the opposition and president of the Malawi Congress Party, Uladi
Mussa, presidential aspirant and president of the Malavi Peoples party (MPP), Aleke Banda,
president of the Peoples progressive party.

Other parties have already started making alliances towards elections leaving no stone unturned
in the run up to the elections.

On the side lines, we have numerous members of parliament that are expected to make a return
to the honourable house or sink in the hand of a powerful vote to be cast by Malawians. This is
the time for members of parliament to give a report to the people of what they have achieved
since they assumed. It goes beyond attending the parliament sessions. The job of a
parliamentarian is result oriented and people will be convinced with what they have achieved
than what they say.
The ball now is the court of poor Malawians to understand the necessity of these elections as
they are going to determine the destiny of mother Malawi. Wrong choice will see Malawi trailing
band a right vote will see Malawi winning a multitude of respect and development.

The main purpose of having the elections is to choose leaders that are going to lead Malawi into
another half in the democratic dispensation this is the third of its kind. The first was held in the
year 1999, the second in the year 2004 and now enters the elections that are coming to be the
most dramatic of them all.

It is highly being predicted that it will be the first elections that will decide of who is the greatest
on the political front and whether Malawians are keenly following politics of their country.

However what is the role of the poor mass that are going to make these crucial decisions? It has
been recorded that 82% of Malawi population leave in the rural areas.

The electrical commission has a mandate to conduct civic education to the illiterate people of
Malawi. Non governmental organizations have been assigned by MEC to oversee that people in
the rural areas get the civic education that they need. On top of that, government in a bid to
ensure that people do not get a raw deal established civic education department in the ministry of
education that is to ensure that people get

Democratic elections enhance public ownership of the chosen government and the democratic
process as a whole. Public ownership is an essential and important principle of governance.
When people own a process, they effectively participate in it and feel the need to be responsible.

People have to be reminded now that it is a given right for them to participate in any democratic
electoral process without been intimidated and harassed guaranteed to them by the constitution
of Malawi. The owner of democracy is the people therefore any thing to do with democracy
belongs to them.

It is there fore important for the electoral body to conduct voter education in good time to avoid
panicking and distortion that follows when people do not understand the elections process.

The constitution of Malawi has some basic human rights. Some of them are the freedom of
movement, freedom of speech that is for candidates, the media, voters and others, freedom of
assembly, freedom of association, freedom from fear in connection with the elections and the
campaign, absence of barriers to standing for elections for both political and independent
candidates.

The people have to show willingness to participate in any democratic process. It is mostly
disheartening how politicians have influenced people’s minds by insinuating violence among
people. Malawians have to learn from what happened in Kenya when politicians thought that
Kenya is smaller than them. Later a lot of people were killed and lost their properties. Malawi as
a peace loving country, has to avoid this by making sure that the political playing ground is
playing ground is leveled.

Politicians have to avoid misusing power and abusing the state machineries at the expense of
other people. A proposal and a statement has to be made by the electoral commission of Malawi
on the recent victimization of political leaders to ensure that no one is left complaining after the
elections. Rights of the people should be respected and safeguarded at all cost. Though we can
say that the campaign period has not yet started, everyone holds the right to hold a rally and a
meeting at any place without being interfered.

People in urban areas, though in a small percentage have a role to play in any general elections.
They should not be their only to debate an end matters their. The last decision has to be made in
front of the ballot. The next generation will be denied a right if people in urban areas think that
voting is only for rural people. People in rural areas have a lot to learn from people in urban
areas as they re perceived to be people of understanding and high rate of scrutiny.