News and analysis

President Joyce Banda’s handlers, who have convinced her to shun debates that Misa Malawi and other electoral stakeholders have organised in Lilongwe and Blantyre, are completely being unfair to her and their actions are damaging her chances to reclaim the State House.

The first of the two presidential debates starts next week to be followed by a second seven days later. The debates will be on domestic policy. On display will be style and substance—both of which are important performance indicators in this political theatre. Had all the 12 presidential candidates

Malawi President Joyce Banda has snubbed the first-ever presidential debates expected to start soon, citing "clash of programmes" and "tight campaign schedule" as reasons for the decision. The President, according to People’s Party (PP) secretary general Paul Maulidi, has already communicated her

The presidential candidates debates which are slated for April 22 and 29 and May 6, 2014 organised by the National Media Institute of Southern Africa – Malawi Chapter – and approved by Malawi Electoral Commission will only involve opposition torch bearers as incumbent Head of State Joyce Banda will

We find it baffling, if not downright bizarre, that Malawi President Joyce Banda would rebuff the presidential debate at this crucial time. A multi-stakeholder task force on the presidential debates, endorsed by the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) and chaired by the National Media Institute of

On Thursday evening, the debates of Lithuanian presidential candidates will begin. Five debate shows will be broadcasted by the national television LRT before the first round of elections, moderated by journalist Edmundas Jakilaitis.

The Commission on Presidential Debates named six new members to its board of directors, including a former governor, ex-senator and Defense secretary. Former Indiana governor Mitch Daniels, ex-senator Olympia Snowe from Maine, former Pentagon and CIA chief Leon Panetta, former congresswoman Jane

The People’s Party says it is yet to decide whether President Joyce Banda will participate in the planned debates for presidential candidates. The party has, however, hinted that it may not participate on any debate which is “childish” saying the PP had bitter lessons from the previous organisation

Some aspiring Parliamentary candidates in Kasungu and most parts of the northern region are facing difficulties to convince voters to vote for them as the National Initiative for Civic Education (nice) political debates expose their weaknesses including failure to speak Englis

Traditional leaders in Nsanje have said that public debates can play a critical role in the consolidation of good governance and the promotion of transparency and accountability in political leadership. Group village head (GVH) Namanya made the observation at Masenjere Primary School on Sunday at a

For the first time in the history of democracy Malawi, the country will hold presidential candidates debates which are slated for April 22 and 29 and May 6, 2014 organised by the National Media Institute of Southern Africa – Malawi Chapter – and approved by Malawi Electoral Commission.

Battle lines have been drawn. Barbs will be exchanged. Precedents set. The race for the country’s top-notch job is about to get interesting with the announcements of the dates by the Media Institute of Southern Africa- Malawi Chapter (NAMISA) for the highly anticipated presidential debates.