Chaponda jeered and booed in Parliament: Malawi opposition drown Minister’s voice

Opposition members of parliament on Tuesday morning gave embattled Agriculture minister George Chaponda a tough time in parliament as they booed him whenever he wanted to answer a question, drowning his voice in the process.

As Chaponda tried as much to ignore his detractors and answer the questions during question time, the more the booes came.

The Malawi Congress Party  (MCP) and Peoples Party  (PP) lawmakers said they did not recognise Chaaponda as a cabinet minister.

This follows reports by a presidential commission of inquiry on maizegate and a parliamentary inquiry on maizegate which found Chaponda’s dealings in the procurement of maize from Zambia as suspicious.

The two inquiries asked the Anti-Corruption Bureau to further probe him.

Deputy speaker Esther Mcheka Chilenje condemned the behaviour by the opposition back benchers.

“He is minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development. I have not received communication from the appointing authority to the contrary,” she said.

The opposition succesfully rejected him to return as Leader of the House following his month long High Court ordered suspension.