Chairperson for the Network Alosious Nthenda was reacting to a media statement which is being read on MBC and TVM accusing the body of being used by the opposition to establish a parallel tally centre for the May 19 polls.
MESN issued a proposal to the electoral for the establishment of the centre arguing that it will help in the credibility of the process.
The proposal was supported by all the opposition political parties as well as the US ambassador to Malawi Peter Boddie who said the centre will give chance to independent monitors to do their job effectively.
However the proposal has ruffled the feathers of government who have cried foul over the proposal.
The Office of the president and Cabinet issued a statement, which described the proposal as a recipe for violence during the polls.
We believe that this is the work of the opposition and a few misguided individuals who do not wish the country well, read the statement.
Commenting on the development chairperson for MESN, Alosious Nthenda says government has no mandate to regulate or monitor the electoral process.
Government has deliberately chosen to misrepresent facts and misinform the public on the parallel tally Centre, said Nthenda.
Nthenda said all political parties in the country have accepted the proposal, except the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which he said plans are underway to meet the party on the matter.
We are surprised that government is responding on the matter instead of the DPP which is a stakeholder, said Nthenda.
Nthenda said as they appreciate that DPP is also in the ruling party or government, but it was not proper for the OPC to comment because they are not going to take part in elections.
It is only the Malawi Electoral Commission that has got the mandate to regulate elections, and if MEC approves it..we will go ahead with the project, said Nthenda who was franked by CHRR Undule Mwakasungura, PACENET Steve Duwa and others.
He stated by setting up the Parallel tally centre, they are not contravening any electoral laws because MESN will not be conducting and managing the elections but only monitoring the electoral process.
Nthenda said the parallel tally centre that has been advocated and proposed by MESN is an idea that has been already approved by the government of Malawi in the 50-50 national programme on increasing women representation in parliament and local government.
He said the programme was launched last year by the then minister of women and child development Anna Kachikho, and therefore the project can not be said to be of threatening motive.
He added that the idea is not new in the country as similar initiatives were done in 1994, 1999 and 2004 by accredited service providers.
This type of thing has already been tested and has been successful in countries like Zimbabwe, Zambia, Angola and Sierra Leone and Malawi being part of the SADC and Africa could benefit from the experiences and expertise from these countries as one way of promoting transparent and credible elections, said Nthenda.
He therefore called government to refrain from issuing statements that may instill fear in the people thereby stopping them from exercising their rights to participate in the 2009 elections.
MESN is an umbrella body of 75 non governmental organizations who are stakeholders of the May 19 polls. – Nyasa Times
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