Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika isexpected to dissolve parliament Friday, setting the stage for the beginning ofofficial campaigning for the upcoming May 19 general election expected to behotly contested between incumbent President Mutharika and former PresidentBakili Muluzi. However, the former president is constitutionally barred tostand in the election after already serving two consecutive full terms asMalawi's president from 1994 to 2004. But the opposition United DemocraticFront elected Muluzit to represent the party in the upcoming election, settingthe stage for a constitutional controversy.
Blessing Chissinga is a politicalscience professor at Malawi's Chancellor College in Zomba. He tells reporterPeter Clottey that the political temperature in the country is intense ahead ofthe election.
"Theexpectation is that the political parties once parliament is dissolved will gointo full gear campaigning for the up and coming general election. So, anymember of parliament will no longer be a member of parliament, but that givesthem the opportunity to now focus fully on the campaigning process," Chissingasaid.
Hesaid there seems to be growing political tension among Malawians ahead of thegeneral election.
"Apparentlythe atmosphere is very tense although last week we had an AU (African Union)mission led by the former president of Mozambique Joachim Chissano and formerGhanaian President John Kufuor trying to cool down the tension. But just a daybefore the dissolution of parliament, the president had already startedcampaigning and he did go on the offensive against the former President Muluzi.And that has created a tensed atmosphere, which I am sure is going tocharacterize the rest of the campaign period, giving that the stakes in thiselection are quite high," he said.
Chissingasaid Malawians are anxiously waiting for the opportunity to exercise theirfranchise in the upcoming election.
"Malawiansare really looking forward to the election day. I guess Malawians are kind oftired with the political immaturity that has characterized the last four years.So, basically talking to the ordinary man and woman in the street, I think theyare looking forward to May 19 hoping their vote will bring the currentpolitical tension become calm after the election," Chissinga noted.
Hesaid the Independent Electoral Commission finds itself between a rock and ahard place ahead of the May 19 election.
"Theelectoral commission as far as I can read the situation is in a very, verydifficult situation because of two main things. One is because they misread theconstitution because the constitution says that sitting MP's (members ofparliament) cannot run for office. So, the mistake they did was received thepresidential as well as the parliamentary nomination when parliament had notyet been dissolved, so, that was against the constitution," he said.
Meanwhile,the electoral commission is expected to soon determine the eligibility offormer President Muluzi whether he can stand in this year's election. Somepolitical analysts believe the decision could potentially plunge the countryinto uncertainty and possible chaos.
Chissingasaid the electoral body has a herculean task in determining the eligibility ofthe former president ahead of the general election.
"They(electoral commission) have a very difficult decision to make about theeligibility of former President Muluzi. The constitution provides throughSection 83 Subsection Three that other presidents that have served twoconsecutive terms should not bounce back. But the challenge here is that thewording of the constitutional provision is vague and if you literally read it,it allows presidents who have served two consecutive terms to bounce back. Andup to now, they haven't made a decision as to whether former President Muluziis eligible or not and all eyes are on the electoral commission," Chissingapointed out.