By Timothy Peter

Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has emphasized on the need for government to provide early funding to the commission starting from the 2022/2023 financial year for preparations of 2025 general elections.

The commission said this through a press statement signed by the newly appointed Chief Elections Officer, Andrew Mpesi.

The statement further says it resolved to form National Task Force that is co-chaired by the Electoral Commission and Centre for Multiparty Democracy (CMD) in an effort to identify and make recommendations on specific provisions in the electoral legal framework that require reforms.

The proposed amendments include The Constitution (Amendment) bill of 2022 which seeks to prescribe period for holding by-elections and changing the name from electoral commission to Malawi Electoral Commission.

Another proposed bill is the Electoral Commission (amendment) Bill of 2022 which will provide for minimum educational qualification for persons to be appointed as members of the commission and empower the commission to devise other means of voting.

The commission also proposed for amendment of presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government Elections Bill to allow for consolidation of provisions in the Parliamentary and Presidential Elections Act and the Local Government Elections Act into one piece of legislation for improved accessibility among others.