The Political Parties Act, which was enacted in December 2018 to promote transparency and accountability in Malawi’s political system, has apparently struggled to take effect due to the absence of regulations.
This regulatory gap has allowed practices that the law seeks to curb—such as the distribution of cash handouts— to continue unchecked.
Ken Zikhale Ng’omaAt a Malawi Congress Party (MCP) rally in Mzuzu on Sunday, Minister of Mining and MCP National Executive Committee member Ken Zikhale Ng’oma engaged in a dramatic display of giving away cash.
Several attendees were selected from the crowd and called onto the stage, where Ng’oma handed them K100,000 each.
He was heard telling one recipient: “Young boy, come here—quickly! This afternoon, you are lucky… [President Lazarus] Chakwera wants you to start a business. Do you know Chakwera? You are going home with K100,000.”
According to the Registrar of Political Parties, Kizito Tenthani, his office is still in the process of developing the necessary regulations that would make the Act enforceable.
“The draft is ready and starting next week, we will engage all 20 political parties and civil society organisations (CSOs) for validation.
“On February 19, we will meet with CSOs and on the 20th, we will meet with the registered political parties—directors of elections and secretaries-general—to review the draft before we send it to the Ministry of Justice,” Tenthani said.
He expressed hope that the regulations would be finalised and presented to Parliament in the upcoming session, with the goal of ensuring they are in force ahead of the general elections on September 16.
A reference group, including legal experts, civil society representatives and the Ministry of Justice, has reviewed the Act and proposed model regulations, increasing optimism that the draft will be approved soon.
However, political analyst Wonderful Mkhutche remains sceptical about the law’s timely enforcement.
“The issues of handouts will not end anytime soon because those responsible for enforcing the law are violating it themselves. It may be applied one day, but we will have to wait longer,” Mkhutche said.
Beyond banning handouts, the Political Parties Act also mandates that political parties disclose the sources of their funding.
