Chakwera promises to attend Malawi presidential question time in parliament

Malawi Congress Party (MCP) presidential hopeful Lazarus Chakwera has said he would attend presidential question time in parliament once voted into power during the May 21 2019 Tripartite Elections.

He said this Wednesday evening during a grueling whistle-stop  campaign tours in Lilongwe.

President Peter Mutharika has always snubbed the questions to the president session when called and instead delegated a senior cabinet minister to answer on his behalf.

“Parliament is the representative of the people. I need to be answerable to the people of Malawi through their representatives, this is why I would attend the question time for the president,” Chakwera said.

Current laws give the Head of State a choice on whether to attend the question time or not but parliament has drafted some laws which, if passed, would compel the president to go to parliament to answer the questions.

Former president Bakili Muluzi faced the then Leader of Opposition Gwanda Chakuamba in an exciting and historic question time in the 1990s.

Chakwera also sold his ‘Super Hi5’ political mantra to the people of Lilongwe, committing prospering together, ending corruption, upholding the rule of law, servant leadership and uniting Malawi.

MCP is in a triple-electoral alliance  with three strategic parties of People’s Party (PP) led by former president Joyce Banda and Freedom Party of former vice president Khumbo Kachali.

On the other hand  ruling DPP is in an electoral alliance with tiny Depeco party of Chris Daza and rejected independent presidential hopeful Ras Chikomeni Chirwa.

While UTM Party of Vice-President Saulos Chilima is in alliance with Aford and Tikonze People’s Movement.