The Media Institute for Southern Africa- MISA Malawi says it will not hold presidential debates ahead of the July fresh presidential election.

During the past two election circles, MISA Malawi has been holding presidential debates for presidential hopefuls to critique their manifestos in different aspects of national interest.

MISA Malawi Chairperson Teresa Ndanga has told YONECO FM that organising such debates require thorough preparations which would be difficult this time around.

“We will not be able to do the debate, and this is because we usually plan for a 5-year period, we expected that the next presidential debate will be held in the next five years, but it has happened that the court has ordered fresh election barely a year after another election,” assumed Ndanga.

Ndanga is however upbeat that MISA will engage the aspirants through other means on issues affecting the media fraternity.

“We are trying to do some direct engagements with the candidates and the parties that have been represented in thus elections,” said Ndanga.

Commenting on the development, a Political Scholar – George Phiri holds the view that the move is likely to have a bearing on the prominence of the forthcoming polls as such debates assist enlightening candidates’ knowledge on different issues.

“These debates are critical as they depict what the candidates have prepared for people once voted into power,” understood Phiri.