Speaker’s ruling cannot be challenged, Msowoya tells Malawi Parliament
Speaker of the National Assembly Richard Msowoya on Friday told the House that the Speaker’s ruling on a point of order cannot be challenged.
Msowoya made the remarks when the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Lilongwe North East Maxwel Thyolera rose on a point of order to stop Member of Parliament for Mangochi Masongola Rashid Pemba from commenting for the second time on the report by Parliament Committee on Budget following its consideration of the 2014/2015 Budget review presented by the committee Chairperson Rhino Chiphiko.
The Speaker sustained Thyolera’s point of order and ruled that Pemba should not continue commenting on the report in view of the fact that there were many Members who wanted to comment on the report.
Msowoyas’ ruling did not go well with Government Chief Whip Henry Mussa, who is also the Minister of Labour and Manpower Development, who also rose on a point of order seeking more clarification on why the Speaker had made that ruling.
“Point of Order Mr. Speaker Sir, the last time the Member of Parliament for Mangochi Masongola spoke on the mid-year budget review, he was speaking on behalf of the party, are you saying he cannot talk on behalf of his constituency this time around?” queried Mussa.
The Speaker again asked the governments’ chief whip to take his seat which again prompted another Parliamentarian to rise on another point of order.
“Are you challenging the chairpersons’ ruling? Please take your seat. I have already ruled on this and I said in view of the fact that there are so many members who would like to speak, I should therefore give a chance to another member to speak,” said Msowoya.
“Before I adjourn the House for tea break, let me refer the members to Standing Orders 88 which says that the chairpersons’ ruling should be respected,” referred Msowoya.
The report of the budget and finance committee was in response to the midyear budget statement that was presented by the Minister of Finance on 6th February 2015.
Parliament has since adjourned to Monday afternoon.– Reporting by Maston Kaiya and Mirriam Banda, Mana
Contrary to what @17 (Budafrika) believes, MCP does not control parliament!
DPP has a majority, and the party is leaving MCP hang themselves: by continuing to show their true dictatorial tendency (HKB legacy). That’s in their DNA. Next time, DPP and UDF, elect one of your own to the speaker position. That’s it!
I hope you’ll be this tough when invoking sec 65 shall a need arise.
mr kes munthali .parliament aly deliberations are guided by the standing orders which are supposed to be folowed and respected. and the gadama marder hss nothing to do with respecting the standing
orders.remember the opposition is there for checks and balances
To all you DPP cadets! MCP controls parliament so deal wth it.
Mr. Speaker Sir, we give you the mandate to discpline any good for nothing MP. We do not want to see any Julius Malema behaviour in our august house.
Standing orders 88. Ok! OK!
Msowoya is dead wrong and he needs to be challenged in court! What a buffoon!
Dictatorship tendancy ndiyimene yavuta apa Baba Msowoya, fisi ndi fisi basi. You, chakwera and your folk in MCP need to be taught democracy and democratic principles. The right for an MP to speak without fear or favour is right at the heart of a democratic government, that nonsense of saying you can not speak and once I command that DPP members should not speak my word is final is what is called dictatorship. Bambo Gadama stood on in parliament and spoke passinately against the suffering of poor Malawians and sadistic dictatorship of MCP that same afternoon he was murdered in… Read more »
Zikutheka. Ife timaona nangati mudzichita mantha. Koma ngati mukukwanitsa kukwera mtengo wa minga! Aaaa… Zikuyenda.
Chonde bwana sipikala zikafika penapo muzingowathizimula mambama ma MP amakaniwa since you can use speakiological power to open up your hand and discipline such MP ndimakofi. Nobody will take you to court on that one. mboni tizakgala ife ma back benchers.