Malawi bishops enter 'third term' debate

Roman Catholic bishops in Malawi have called for the electorate to be consulted before any change is made to the constitution to allow President Bakili Muluzi to stand for a third term in office.

In a pastoral letter, the bishops warn against allowing any group to manipulate others into eroding the constitution.

They say such changes should not be left to parliament alone, but put to a national referendum.

President Muluzi who came to power in the multi-party elections of 1994 which ended the dictatorship of Hastings Banda has avoided any statement on the issue.

But some of his ministers and leading officials of his United Democratic Front have been campaigning for the bar on a third term to be removed.

His current period of office expires in two-thousand-and-four.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service

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