CSOs demand cut in constituencies from 193 to 100: Speaker, MPs rule out
Some civil rights groups have engaged parliament to reduce the number of constituencies from the current 193 to 100 owing to the current economic turmoil, among other reasons.
Citizen Alliance officials on Tuesday evening met the Speaker Richard Msowoya and all the House leadership in a bid to lobby them reduce the number of constituencies.
Wilson Asidu, executive secretary of Citizen Alliance, an umbrella body of several civil society organisations said Zambia has 158 members of parliament yet its bigger than Malawi.
He also gave an example of South Africa which has 300 legislators yet their population is more than 10 times than that of Malawi.
Asidu said the huge number of parliamentarians has a huge negative effect on the Malawi economy, saying chopping off the 93 legislators would save Malawi of billions of money needed in the rapidly collapsing public health sector and other critical public sectors now in shambles due to the bad economic situation in the country.
After all, he said, councillors are now in place and handle development projects in their respective areas whilst members of parliament just concentrate on law making and oversight functions.
However, Speaker Richard Msowoya dismissed this idea out rightly, saying councillors and members of parliament do different jobs altogether.
Nkhata Bay Central MP Ralph Mhone and Mzimba north MP Agness Nyalonje – all from People’s Party (PP) – instantly dismissed the suggestion, saying the current parliament seats are just enough to propel development activities in the country.
Academician and social commentator also proposed some months ago that there was need to cut the parliamentary seats by 100, arguing most of the MPs just drain government coffers through huge allowances and salaries and other perks yet they do nothing in parliament and in their respective constituencies.
I totally agree we reduce number of Mp as reduction on vist of Politics, we have done so withministrial nbrs..ma Ps and this must be part of reforms.please a dpeaker mdoeoya mwatani.aftrr all ovetdight is not complicated mai Lunguzi can do it well ndi a kamlepo raph joom basi plus a njovu ndi lucius..font forget the laws you pass are drafted elsewhrre.. so lets reduce codt of Politics msanyinyirika ayi chokani .just reserve 50 setsa for women, atabwali enani muzikayimba mmanja ku presidential rallies
CSOs agitating for reduction of MPs are seriously deluded and have lost direction and do not know what they exist for and and have come extension branches of other political parties. Surely when the tree falls so will the branches . Sad indeed .
those that demarcated constituencies were not stupid.
A Yes: pati pachitike referendum Karen’s cessation mukunenayo mukachitira kuti ya constituencies? You must understand these things: there are mutually exclusive.
Who refuses referendum or federalism, so Peter wanuyo! Akuyiopa. He will be a president without a state; may for in Mj and To. Don’t expect that lower states will support you when revolution begins. They will fight for themselves and their children.
Only tried to manage a multi party democracy in a civilized way. He only missed economy by a whisk.
Apatu a Kamlepo Kalua taiyambani ya referendum ndi nonse a Cesation and Feudalism muone mmene ife kuno kumwera tiisapotere yochita reduce ma constituencies. Bwanji MCP mwangoti ndiii ngati akukumetani. Abusa mukuti uli apa?
Quota system is for equity other things north does not merit them! What type of dogs are you? You cannot parliament to discuss issues that will affect them negavely. That’s a non starter. CSOs should know better how to handle that issue and where to refer it for correction or amendment. Our economy is in shambles yet we have so many unproductive MPs who only shout ‘hear hear’. They cannot even see any sense or support their fellows who propose issues such as that of investigation of the K577b. They have mighty appetites just like dogs only plunder our country… Read more »
Wika why giving north only 10 mp’s yet u say going to university the number should be equal cake ,amatero aja koma munyatu maprivate onsewa
Ndizoona koma munthu sangalole kudzichotsa ntchito yekha. Kuluma chala chomwe chikukudyetsa phala nde ngakhale mutakhala inu. Chitsanzo cha bwino ndi section 65 muwone mmene amachitira aphungu mukalimbikira akatenga koti injakoshoni. Osamangokamba zikakhala kwa anzanu. Nawonsi ali ndi ana komanso abale.
Briliant idea but I ask CSO leaders to cast the net wider and sell the idea to other stakeholders not parliament, Msowoya sakutithandiza iye angopanga zake kuti zimuyendere. its true Bakili championed this cause but there is room for change. Ma MP enanso amafikira kuchoka pa mpando patatha zaka 5 popanda chochita kwawo nkubwerera kumakapalasa njinga yet amaononga ndalama zomwe zikagwira ntchito yothandiza a Malawi. Zoti ma MP asowa ntchito izo ndi zawo azifunsira ndi ma MSCE awowo ngati m’mene m’Malawi aliyense amapezera ntchito, ku MP kusakhale kothawira umphawi ayi. A word to Msowoya, your days are numbered usayese kuchenjera.… Read more »
I support the idea.MPs are a group of lazy & mostll of them uneducated but receive huge monies for nothing.