Chakwera accuses govt of blocking opposition MPs on private motions

Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Lazarus Chakwera, accused government of systematically blocking opposition MPs from introducing motions on national issues on Thursdays, which are private members’ day.

Chakwera: Opposiiton MPs were blocked in moving motions
Chakwera: Opposiiton MPs were blocked in moving motions

Chakwera, who is also president of Malawi Congress Party (MCP), is quoted in the press that MPs wanted to move a motion on the independence of parliament.

“For example, a motion on the independence of Parliament has, for the second time, failed to be tackled which is a setback,” the Weekend Nation quoted the MCP president as saying

Chakwera, according to the newspaper report, also observed that apart from some bills passed in the House, Parliament did not make significant resolutions on national issues.

He, however, expressed his satisfaction that the opposition managed to push through one motion on Thursday stopping government from hiking fees in secondary schools and public universities.

During the four-week sitting, the House passed a number of bills such as the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Amendment) Bill; Estate Duty (Amendment) Bill; International Development Association (Southern Africa Trade and Transport Programme Phase 2) Loan (Authorisation) Bill; Malawi Institute of Procurement and Supply Bill; European Investment Bank (Upgrading of Aviation Safety and Security Equipment at Kamuzu and Chileka International Airports Project) Loan (Authorisation), Opec Fund for International Development (Mzimba Integrated Urban Water and Sanitation Project) Loan (Authorisation); and and African Development Bank (Mzimba Integrated Urban Water and Sanitation Project) Loan (Authorisation).

The House referred Bill No. 22 of 2015; Payment Systems to the Budget Committee and Bill No. 11 of 2015; Electronic Transactions to the Committee on Media and Communication.

Bill No. 2 of 2014; Meteorology and Bill No. 24 of 2015; Communication remain outstanding.

The meeting, the first of the 46th Session of Parliament which was officially opened on November 6 2015 by President Peter Mutharika, failed to debate Access to Information (ATI) bill because government delayed its tabling.

 

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Fathi Shehaab
8 years ago

Psrlisment sinayendd bwino ghe debatd on resl idsues was dlosed down by objects frm leader of house,godall gondwe etc,i did hesr offer of slftenstives fr m
J,lunguzi,rslpn mooma,,o and musssa, kamlepo,kodi dm nanu mamvdrs debate ys psrldmdmt yakuti ,,some of you fesl suprise me xatx why u fo votd for chsractrr contdnt but lies
Content,muziona !

DOBO
DOBO
8 years ago

At current school fees most parents in villages are failing to pay school fees resulting into too many dropouts creating another problem of young people heading to our citiess only to become useless call boys and vendors selling plastic papers .Malawi is becoming poorer and poorer. Most Malawians can’t see because politics has eaten us deep .We hate every thing that our opponents have said. This is an indicatation of uncivilized politics. It is the duty of Government to protect and help the vulnerables.The reduce farther the school fees for the vulnerables is way to reduce secondary school drop outs.This… Read more »

choka phiri
8 years ago

Most Malawians commenting on Nyasatimes are People Who have NO idea hon democracy and opposition means. The WORD OPPOSITION means to Oppose. If you had gone in school where you learnt debatte you could understa rather than always attack Chakwela Who is The leader of opposition and speaks for all opposition. Do you want the govetnmrnt to have all The power? Then Malawi is going back to dictatorship. Iwhat problem Do you have with Chakwela? Yes There was school fees during MCP. Do you want to go back there? What is development means? I have seen you stupid ones attacking… Read more »

Weekly mwale
Weekly mwale
8 years ago

Chakwera is deliberatly throwing spanners in the system inorder to derail the gvt development programme.this guy does not have malawi at heart.he is after power at the expense of the people of malawi.pliz support the gvt of the day.wait for the next elections dont throw stones into mutharika path! If god says yes noone can say no.

Ozisata
Ozisata
8 years ago

Chakwera is atonal disappointment. Timalipira fees nthawi ya MCP zimayenda BWINO. Pano Nyo Nyo Nyo . Useless leader of opposition. For once think like a Malawian you little Goofer Chakwera.

bleb nzungu
bleb nzungu
8 years ago

banbo kathupa machemba zinthu ngati suzisata timasiya kuti anzanu ozisata ngati ife aini akr tizilankhula mpaka mutaphunzisidwa nde muyankhire komatu taonani umbuli wanu ooonse tauona tonse…

g
g
8 years ago

Please explain exactly how it was blocked.

mr nyasa
mr nyasa
8 years ago

Usavage, u forget that u av alot of poor relatives and people in ur homes

Chigawaneni
Chigawaneni
8 years ago

After blocking the private members’ bills, government blames opposition of not offering alternative solutions to the country’s problems. That is beeing dishonest.

Khuth'upa o'Machemba
Khuth'upa o'Machemba
8 years ago

oChakwera: independence of parliament ndiye kuti chani (meaning what)? Parliament is but one arm of Government, and is make of political parties with varying interests. The Leader of MCP needs to upgrade his knowledge of governance and representation in the first-pass political system. Perhaps one or two night school classes in politics may do him some good. I would have thought he would have learned some of this stuff in the Advanced Courses in his religious studies! Judging by the what Parliamentary bills passed the House, it seems DPP did achieve something. Considering the antagonism, represented by unnecessary blocks, projected… Read more »

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