UDF maintain its liberal democracy stand, defends 50%+1 electoral law
United Democratic Front (UDF) which is in electoral alliance with the governing Democratic Party (DPP) has stuck to its liberal democracy policy and supported government Constitution Amendment Bill which proposed electoral reforms, but it will not back proposal to remove the 50%+1 system of electing the president as already interpreted by the court.
UDF leader in the House, Ned Poya said in Parliament on Wednesday that the party would not favour the polarising First-Past-the Post (FPTP) but the majority 50 –percent-plus one system
“Madam Speaker, Malawians are tired out there. Malawians would want to see the country going forward.
“Malawians are tired with the impasse on the ground. It is high time we moved forward as a country,” said Poya.
He said the UDF support government to ensure it puts legal instruments allowing fresh presidential elections to be credible, free and fair.
“The UDF supports the cleaner and the neater way of doing things. We don’t like to do things in a shortcut way, Madam Speaker,” he said.
But Poya said the majority system of electing a President is the way to go.
“To say the fact, Madam Speaker, I, in my personal capacity, I really wanted this country to pass the 50+1 legislation before even I became an MP.
“The UDF supports the bill on condition that the 50+1 is still there. Madam Speaker, in following the cleaner and neater way of doing things, lastly the UDF supports the Bill,” Poya received applause from the lawmakers.
To change Section 80 of the Constitution to set the date of the election as June 23 and to define majority, government needed the support of two-thirds majority or 126 MPs—like is the case with any other constitutional amendment.
However, the Bill received approval from 92 legislators while 82 voted ‘NO’ and 14 were absent.
Section 80(2) of the Constitution provides that “the President shall be elected by a majority of the electorate through direct, universal and equal suffrage” and the courts have interpreted “majority” to mean 50-percent-plus-one.
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UDF is a party that cannot stand on its own anymore that is why they had rather have 50+1. But all small parties like UDF will be swallowed soon even UTM will be dead. Ask what happened to AFORD which used to believe in alliances. Even UDF also did the same that is why it has been deflated over the years.
Dpp fools are corned right away, they cannot remove majority 50+1 through shadow with people like this guy i don’t see that happening. Thats the end of these thugs, maula is waiting. Try rig again you’ll leave state house in tears.
Do not trust UDF, they are a political chameleon party. The plan is fool/ entice the opposition to start debating the Electoral Amendments Bill yet they exactly know what they are up to.
This is the UDF of 2004. The party malawians loved so much until the muluzi family destroyed it. This is the udf we want. This is the UDF that can rule malawi. Now I know we have UDF proper and UDF/DPP which is made up of 2 corrupt families.
I am ready to join this good UDF minus muluzi family.
On this one, you have my approval. DPP think they will get their personal aspirations pass without difficulty. Not this time.
Honourable Poya seems to be a politician who has the interests of a majority of Malawians at heart. He sounds like he is really concerned about the ‘man-made’ impasse that Malawi has found herself in while the hardship and suffering experienced by the masses deepens and continues. Sir, I congratulate you for displaying signs and feelings of a caring politician. May be others in your camp (which I very much doubt) will borrow a page of excellence from you. Keep it up!.
I love the UDF it has soul of democracy
Kikikikiki. You must be full of jokes. DPP roped in UDF because of the 50+1 ruling. If DPP would be successful in removing 50+1 then they would not need UDF as a partner. UDF were simply safeguarding their backsides. UDF and “liberal democracy” in the same sentence is simply hilarious…
The rope that tie Udf and Dpp is 50+1, therefore , Udf can not play around, paja 2019 adawaponya pansi ,ndikutenga Chimulilenji,