AACC Economic Justice & Accountability champion Rev. Maulidi joins stakeholders’ call to MEC for total transparency and accountability to address all electoral gaps 

Rev. Baxton Maulidi

* A cross section of stakeholders have been asking for their involvement for total transparency and accountability to address all electoral gaps together but little has been done

* For this reason, it will be difficult to stop speculations and government will not manage to silence or arrest those Malawians that are yearning to know the truth of what is happening in the electoral process

By Duncan Mlanjira

Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) Blantyre Synod’s Deputy General Secretary, Rev. Baxton Maulidi — who is also the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) Economic Justice & Accountability champion — has reminded and advised the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) and the government to tread carefully on how they are handling the preparations for the September 16general elections.

Rev Maulidi’s call comes following the arrest of social media influencer Julius Mithi over his revelation of missing names in the MEC’s voters roll.

Mithi, a fierce critic of President Lazarus Chakwera and the ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP) — who has been expressing his discontent over broader concerns about the government’s handling of economic challenges, human rights and social justice issues in the country — was arrested by the Police in Mzuzu over his Facebook post on March 19.

He wrote: “News flash! unverified but from JFM reliable source, 1,152,019 Malawians eligible voters deleted in National Registration Bureau and MEC systems” — and according to national Police spokesperson, Peter Kalaya Kalaya, the NRB and MEC filed their complaints that prompted to Mithi’s arrest on charges under the Electronic Transactions and Cyber Security Act.

Rev Maulidi thus reminds MEC and government that a cross section of stakeholders have been asking for their involvement for total transparency and accountability to address all electoral gaps together “but little has been done”.  

“For this reason, it will be difficult to stop speculations and government will not manage to silence or arrest those Malawians that are yearning to know the truth of what is happening in the electoral process. 

“Kodi mumanga anthu angati (how many people are you going to arrest)? — just do the needful. Please MEC and Government, come on the open and address these issues instead of arresting people.

“Convince Malawians that there is nothing you are hiding because it is possible that the information you are giving has more gaps than expected truths.

“It is also possible that Malawians feels you are imposing things on them instead of walking together with them to make laws or policies for the same. Remember you are in positions not to dictate, dominate or impose laws that suit you will but to work on behalf of all of us. 

“Where there is no adequate information people speculate — even the Bible in Hosea 4:6 says ‘my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge’.  

“So bring the knowledge and save people from speculating — and save Malawi, please,” said Rev. Maulidi.