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Talks flop as Bingu threatens arrests

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Charles Kufa 08 May, 2008 06:15:00
image Ntafu: Bingu threatened us with arrests

President Bingu Mutharika and opposition leaders ended their face-to-face talks with no solution to end the deadlock over the current parliamentary sitting, an official attending the talks has said.

 

Mutharika met five majority opposition parties represented by leader of opposition John Tembo and Respicious Dzanjalimodzi from Malawi Congress Party (MCP); Dr George Nga Mtafu from United Democratic Front (UDF); Mark Katsonga Phiri of PPM and Charles Ulaya of Republican Party.

 

Ministers Davis Katsonga, Ken Lipenga, Chimunthu Banda, Henry Phoya and Goodall Gondwe joined Mutharika.

 

"We met them in the morning and all started well but things got sour when Mutharika started shouting insults and threats upon us. He was saying he could get all of us in opposition arrested," said Ntafu in an interview with Nyasa Times.

 

"We hit back saying that we are aware that he has drawn up a list of senior political and civil society leaders that he wants to arrest [and even kill]. He finally calmed down but there was a deadlock," said the UDF leader in the House.

 

A second round of talks, which started at 4:00 PM, yielded nothing after government insisted on passing the budget first before dealing with Section 65 of the republican Constitution.

 

The Opposition demanded an immediate withdrawal of the Yunus Mussa injunction on the Speaker to facilitate the invocation of the supreme law.

 

"Government says they want the budget passed firs, but we are surprised that the current sitting of parliament is not a budget session. So why are they mixing budget and Section 65," wondered Ntafu.

 

"This sitting was supposed to sort out all unfinished business from the previous sitting which Mutharika prorogued. The President is yet to open the budget session so what we are saying is let this session of parliament deal with Section 65 and all other money bills plus whatever constitutional amendments available then we smoothly approach the budget session," he said.

 

The roundtable talks agreed that Speaker Louis Chimango should Thursday adjourn the House at 09:30 am until 14:00 hrs Monday next week to allow negotiations continue over into weekend.

 

Chimango has found it tough going in handing business in the august House due to opposition accusations that he is being used by the executive and has lost the opposition trust.

He is currently not being accorded the respect as usually the case when he enters the chamber.

Comments (13 posted):

tchendelapusigama on 08 May, 2008 07:27:33
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why you opposition legislators keen to start with sec 65 first? What is yuor priority, between sec 65 and national development? If yuo are sent to do this then who ever sent you is crazy, immature and irresponsible. Do you know the consequences of delaying tabling the budget? You guys pocket alot of bank notes there, if think we don'* know.Yuo go home with a fat pocket,wallet and bread and cheese. What do you think of us ordinary humans, who cannot afford what you afford? Worse still it the tax (payee) that is deducted every month end on my salary, the surtax that we cough to the govt when we buy lifebouy to the shop,that make shout, qaurrel,nearly fight, exchange insults in the house. Its time gantlemen you change yuor attitudes towards matters of development, mature politics and sense of direction. Tikukuonanitu, oho.
frank on 08 May, 2008 07:44:34
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Abale inu please chonde kambilanani zinthu zomanga malawi.
Nyamamdondo on 08 May, 2008 08:04:41
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Bingu, Henry Phoya, Chimunthu Banda, Ken Lipenga and Davies Katsonga are all crossed the floor. Bingu is lucky because he is exempted from section 65. Nonetheless, they cheated the parties that sponsored them to be chewing our taxes. Do you expect them to accept section 65? It is like removing a hyena from a carcass already prepared for it by a lion. Muluzi should shoulder all the blame for not listening to the likes of Dumbo Lemani, BJ and Aleke not to take Mutharika on board. Of course Muthalika has his credit better than Muluzi of we talk of some development esecially in Lilongwe. Muluzi left Lilongwe City to deteriorate because it is in MCP strong hold. The main roads in the city has been repaired. However, the rule of the law is supreme. He has to abide by the provisions of the constitution of Malawi. Kamuzu developed the country beyond recognition but he did not have a good human right record and eventually he lost the trust nation and the world. Becareful Bingu development should go together with rule of the law. If there was no section 65 in your house where your wife belonged to CCAP and you catholic, you should not use that as role model for Malawi.
monda on 08 May, 2008 08:16:34
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Trust me BINGU is dictator nothing will change.Ican also see that he will lose election but he will cling to power.ALLAH KNOWS BEST
dan on 08 May, 2008 09:22:05
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we are now tired of hearing about issues of section 65. let the speaker deal with it once and for all. the argument that budget first and section 65 latter will not hold water this time around. let the rule of law prevail no matter what!
Hands Kawoko on 08 May, 2008 09:46:31
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Mr. President, if this is true what Ntafu says thet you threatened them with arrests, then it is very unfortunate. You would be the last person to unleash such remarks, since you are the one who called the opposition to a roundtable discussions. These people are doing payerepayere and if you do not plead with them, you will fail miserably. It was a good gestured what you showed. You have to know that you are a father and a father does not threaten his children with arrests instead of compromising with them on any issues that have crop up.Mind you the world is watching you. Mind you, this is not a budget sitting as a budget sitting is coming on 19/05/08. Therefore, all that was left in the last sitting has to be finalised in this current sitting before the budget sitting comes. Delay in settling this issue amicably, will result in delaying the budget sitting. Mind you, you are dealing with grown ups and not children. Last time you cheated them to start budget and later section 65, but what happened after budget pass, is what these people do not want to happen again. Mind you once beaten twice shy, goe the old saying. Opposition, please admit that it is too late to have MPs thrown out of parliament. Just wait for May,2009 since it is around the corner. Discuss issues that will benefit people now.
chazochazo on 08 May, 2008 10:09:03
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This is not budget session so why is Bingu talking about the budget? Why did they approve the Chief justice so quick than section 65. Take them on. No consitution no government. Wake up Malawians this is the time to destroy this dictator.
Swalleh Saidi on 08 May, 2008 02:09:44
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Bingu thinks he is more clever than any Malawins. Last year, he push for budget to pass before section 65 and then prologued the parliament. He wants to use the same tricks this year. Please, the opposition, dont let this happen again. Teach this man, Bingu, some manners so that he knows that he is not above the law. In the fisrt place why does he want to continue ruling Malawi iligally? Shame on you and time will tell.
Sejiteriko jimmy on 08 May, 2008 03:15:00
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The president said that they should pass the budget first and then discuss Section 65, thats what he said during the last sitting of Parliament which saw people matching against the Opposition to pass the budget. Now he is saying the same thing, when will they discuss section 65 if he keeps on like that? Why arent the civil societies marching now, cause the President has broken his own promise.
MMalawi on 08 May, 2008 05:18:24
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Now that dialogue has started we hope the negotiations will continue in a genuine way and the outcome adhered to. On the govt side, adhering to outcomes and avoiding unnessesary propaganda or spin will give you credit and on the opposition side making unrealistic demands will not help build Malawi. Arbritrators like PAC failed us because of their partisan nature however direct contact and dialogue will help if the dialogue is on camera. Negotiations are based on movement in demands on both sides and give and take. Threats in negotiations don'* work. The scenario is withdrawal of injuctions and the Speaker acting on MPs who have crossed the floor without conditions; Withdrawal and Speaker acting on MPs pronto on agreement that the opposition discontinue empeachment threat; Withdrawal and Speaker not acting on agreement that after next years elections it will be implemented; Withdrawal of S65 from constitution completely(needs referendum); None of the above. This needs a political solution and not the courts. What is your take friends. My take is withdrawing and Speaker acting but threat to empeachment withdrawn, and obviously with other political demands.
mavuto akula on 08 May, 2008 09:16:03
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In this situation why not have GNU so that parties in parliament share cabinate posts until 2009 elections. In this arrangement Munthalika can maintain his position while the opposition can feel honoured by participating in the running of government. This is just a suggestion.
mavuto athe on 09 May, 2008 02:55:53
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It is diffucult for the speaker to act on section 65 becoz the wording of that section is ambigous. The amended part is the one that leads the entire section to look ambigous. Section 65 is immediately violated once the MPS are divided into govt and opposition sides in the assembly becoz these are political groupings. At the moment it is difficult to know the exact point where the said section starts to be violated.To some extent * second the opinion of the speaker of not acting on section 65
AnzeruNdife on 09 May, 2008 05:35:52
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Let'* not miss the point, Amalawi. The Current sitting is NOT a budget session. It is illogical and a full colour display of ignorance and state of affairs for someone to be talking of budget first zinazo later. The opposition and the Malawi nation was cheated once - * doubt if the same trust will exist now. Let us address the root cause of the current political impasse now. We all know what the problem is - Section 65. It is part of the laws of the land, our constitution. * believe this was meant to build the nation and not divide: A rulling party without a majority in parliament is ideally supposed to form a government of national unity- liase with opposition parties to form a government and NOT poach legislators. Using a shortcut as is our case here yields confusion that our politicians are spreading among the populace. No one should have the freedom to choose which laws to follow and which ones not to. Lastly, our judiciary leaves a lot to be appreciated in the sowing of confusion. * wonder what criterion the learned community uses to grant injunctions. Do you grant an injunction on the application of a law that is in the laws of the land. * wouldn'* be surprised one day to receive an injunction against sleeping with my wife! * would also try getting an injunction stopping the police from arresting me in advance once * decide to steal, anything is possible with our judiciary. * won;* comment on Chimango - he'* despicable!
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