Electoral reform is one of the objectives of a group of parties which considered themselves as the opposition of the second republic. Among their recommendations were the need for a term limit, the introduction of the 50 plus percent in presidential elections, otherwise to go a second round of voting, and the introduction of a provision in the Constitution for the country to hold presidential election within 90 days of the existence of a vacancy in the presidency. They call for new demarcation of electoral boundaries to ensure nearly equal number of inhabitants for all constituencies unless exceptional circumstances dictate the contrary.
If the Constitutional Review Commission is to succeed it must be backed by certain reform processes which would then be captured in any draft constitutional amendments. It is therefore urgent for the IEC to be supported to carry out a reform of the electoral laws to promote a level ground for multiparty contest in future elections.
