Uladi query on Clerk of Parliament selection
People’s Party (PP) leader in parliament Uladi Mussa has questioned President Peter Mutharika’s appointment of Justice and Constitutional Affairs chief legislative counsel Fiona Kalemba as the new Clerk of Parliament (CoP) amid controversy that she was not the first among candidates interviewed by the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC).
Uladi said in parliament when he was responding to Mutharika’s state of the nation address that it was surprising the President did not pick the candidate who passed the interviews.
“Is this how it works. How can he pick a candidate who trailed on fourth position leaving out the one who passed,” asked Mussa amid applause from the backbenchers,
While a CoP is appointed by the President following recommendations from the PSC, the officer works under the direction of the Speaker.
Section 16 of the Parliamentary Service Act says that a CoP shall be appointed by the President on the recommendation of the PSC.
Mutharika intervened in the selection of the CoP after Speaker Richard Msowoya was accused of favouring Charles Mkandawire, High Court judge. Msowoya chaired the COP interviews.
But President Mutharika picked Kalemba.
Uladi said this is not the way governments run their affairs.
Kalemba is yet to take up her position as she was reportedly in Geneva for meetings of her former job at Ministry of Justice.
She becomes the second female CoP since independence after Matilda Katopola who left office acrimoniously in 2012 and has since bagged herself about K70 million ($125,000) from the government as compensation for unfair dismissal.
According to Section 55 of the Constitution and Section 16 of the Parliamentary Service Act, the CoP is responsible for managing operations of Parliament, providing procedural advice on parliamentary laws to committees among others.
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Fiona is the right person for the job. Consider her credentials and experience in matters of parliamentary procedure; they cant match any of her contenders. A recommendation is what it is, a suggestion to the appointing authority to consider appointing a pool of specific candidates. The appointing authority is not bound to pick the highest scorer, coz one may score highest without being the most suitable for the job. if four people were recommended, and the HE chose one, I do not see the reason for querying that she was not the highest. On a different note, Mrs. Kalemba is… Read more »
kuthandiza abale ako sikulakwa koma atumbuka mumawonjeza- there was a time that BM said the fact that MZUNI is in north it does not mean that all workers should come from north. Posachedwapa paja amati amafuna kuti aziphunzira okhawokha. We hear tumbuka corner for kuwuzira mayeso-kumati ndi anzeru how come that God can give nzeru one tribe. Let us change our mindset kupanda apo we will remain poorest in the world.
A mp okongola ma spares kwa mwenye mukuti chiyani? Your duty was to comment on the HE speech. A recycled politician womwa mankhwala oyeletsa.
Well done APM. The syndrome of wakwithu has killed Malawians for so long. Just because Msowoya is from the North, he wanted Mkandawire to be the Cop. Hahahahaha. Atumbuka kuzikonda bwana akangokhala wa ku North basi kumangolembana nokha nokha. Shupiti
Tingoyerekedza munthu uli ndi ana awiri,onsewo ali standard 8. Wina wakhala nambala 1 wina nambala 4. Amene ungamphere nkhuku ndi uti? Ndangodutsa sin’natchole nkhwani.
Guys the way you are contributing it shows that for any appointment to take place let us hire azungu azipanga ma interview chifukwa they dont know us. Apapa akanakhala oti Fiona came first still people could have been saying APM is favouring mlakho. My question is does it mean someone should fail to get the job just because you come from the same home. If Fiona is qualified then it is ok. But I think let us choose on merit Komanso let us find independent people to choose government employees of that sort to avoid nepotism. Even if Mkandawire and… Read more »
Everyone is entittled to their opinions
Mkandawire is a judge of the High Court. Giving him the position of CoP would have reduced the number of judges. We are already crying that there are very few judges. A responsible president could not have been party to a ploy aimed at reducing the number of our judges. Go Fiona go!
A Mary Manda sadakufunsireni Msowoya hence the worst speaker hahahahaha
AMALAWI AKU SALIMA CHA 2019 ULADI MZAMUTAYE MUNTHU WOSOKONEZA MUPALIAMENT AMAIWALA CHIMENE ADAPITILA KUMENEKO