In preparation for the general elections in May 2009, the British Government are funding, through their Africa Conflict Prevention Pool, a series of events designed to provide an opportunity to consider ways of promoting peaceful elections. The Africa Conflict Prevention Pool is an inter-Departmental initiative aimed at preventing and reducing conflicts in Sub- Saharan Africa and is funded by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, the Department for International Development and the Ministry of Defence.
By promoting peaceful elections the British Government joined the German Government by means of a co-financing scheme towards the Forum for Dialogue and Peace which is organising the events.
Jointly implemented by the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) and the Minibus Owner's Association of Malawi (MOAM) the new project "Minibus Stickers for Peaceful Elections" was launched in Lilongwe on Friday, 13 February at the Main Depot.
With the Malawian flag as a background, the stickers carry the message:
"Be proud of Malawi – PEACEFUL ELECTIONS – YES, WE CAN"
"Nyadirani Malawi wanu – CHISANKHO CHA MTENDERE – INDE, TINGATHE"
"Nyadirani Malawi winu – CHISOLA CHAMTENDE – ENYA TINGAKWANISKA"
These stickers are available in two sizes, a smaller one for inside the buses and a larger one for outside and three languages (English, ChiChewa, ChiTumbuka).
With the May 19 parliamentary and presidential elections coming closer, this project comes out of the need to plan and implement a sensitization campaign which directly targets and disseminates the message of anti-violence during pre and post election periods. It emphasizes the need for alternative dispute resolution in the advent of any violent incidents.
MEC endorses this cooperation since it is part of its official mandate to ensure peaceful elections and to conduct nationwide civic and voter education.
By targeting minibus drivers, two objectives can be realized. As experiences show, for various reasons, minibus drivers are prone to political instrumentalization and engagement in violent acts. Therefore, the project will directly deliver the message of peaceful elections to them and the leaders of their association.
Second, minibuses are the means of public transport in Malawi with several thousand passengers every day. Hence, stickers with the message of peaceful elections in busses will be displayed to several thousand people every day. Furthermore, MOAM and the drivers have themselves an interest in peaceful elections and stability, since, amongst others, their business would suffer from outbreaks of violent conflicts.
This project is strictly impartial and political neutral. It wants to spread the message that peaceful elections are possible and in the interest of every Malawian. Even though Malawians are generally known as a peace-loving people, it often only needs a spark to light up a big fire. We all shall hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. It must be realized how a precious peace is. Like with food, we only really appreciate it, when we do not have it.
MEC's Commissioner for Civic and Voter Education, Commissioner Georgina Chikoko, states that it is MEC's mandate to ensure peaceful elections and to bring the message of anti-violence to the Malawian people as they do Civic and Voter Education. MEC appreciates the commitment of MOAM to support MEC's sensitization campaign by displaying the stickers on its member's busses. She further says that she is proud on Malawi, because minibus owners and drivers prove that they care for peace in the country.
Speaking at the launch, Rebecca Chisamya, Civic and Voter Education Assistant for MEC in the Central Region reminded the minibus drivers that they are part of the community and that they can impart the message of non-violence. She also reminded the spectators of the importance of voting.
Representatives of MOAM say, they are happy to contribute to MEC's efforts for fair and peaceful elections, since peaceful elections are in the interest of the nation and of minibus owners and drivers. Minibus owners and drivers realize the risks of violence. They usually operate in crowded places and would therefore be affected by riots and violence. Their property could be damaged, customers and drivers could get hurt or even killed and they could lose business. They also emphasize the need for minibuses not to become places of party campaigns. They carry many diverse passengers with possibly different party preferences. For business purposes they should try to please everyone and not to provoke quarrels in the buses.
MOAM will ensure that as many of its members as possible will receive the stickers to attach them to their minibuses and display the message all over our country.
The stickers for peaceful elections will be launched in the other regions soon:
Blantyre / Limbe Thursday, 19. February, 10am, Main Depot
Mzuzu Friday, 27. February, 10am, Main Depot
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