Parliament rules out extension after Friday

Malawi Parliament has ruled out extending its seating after this coming Friday to tackle unfinished business, including the contentious electoral reforms bill.

MP Lucius Banda of UDF (right) with Leader of the House Kondwani Nankhumwa: There is no need for extension

Leader of the House, Kondwani Nankhumwa, said all unfinished business will be tackled either in May or June when the House meets for budget session.

“There is no need for extension, we are just going by plan,” he said.

Parliament is yet to pass or reject an opposition sponsored Electoral Reforms bill which seeks to make sweeping and comprehensive electoral laws including proposing establishment of tally centres in constituencies and hefty fines for vote buyers and election riggers.

The government is rejecting the bill, saying the Law Commission is already dealing with the issues. Parliament is also yet to pass a report by a special parliamentary inquiry on maizegate.

Chairman of the inquiry Joseph Chidanti Malunga said he could not introduce the issue in parliament for the past two weeks because there were not enough opposition members of parliament.

“This is an important report which needed to be adopted by all the sides of the House,” he said.

Chidanti Malunga said 17 opposition legislators were not in the House.

He was upbeat the report would be adopted this week.

Among others, the report recommends that former Agriculture minister George Chaponda for his suspicious dealings in the procurement of maize from Zambia.

 

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Kumbukani
Kumbukani
7 years ago

Non MPs do not vote or contribute on bills under the floor unless it is a minister (though non MP) to provide info on the bill. Let’s refrain from providing false information. There is no need for that on this seemingly developmental forum. Ask for truth! Do not lament before you know the truth.

Yahya Jammeh
7 years ago

The saddest part of our Parliament is that the opposition does not seem to be very serious about issues of national importance. 17 of them are not in Parlaiment, where are they? This weakens their chances of carrying the day when the Speaker’s decision is based on voting and you will see that Government will take advantage of the absence of the opposition to galvanize its teams by getting all DPP MPs and cabinet ministers to be present in order to defeat the opposition’s motion. By the way why are ministers who are not elected Members of Parliament allowed in… Read more »

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