Report on whether Malawi adopts Federalism to be tabled Thursday
Chairperson of the Legal Affairs Committee of Parlaiment Kezzie Msukwa is on Thursday expected to give a report to the House on scruting of the federalism motion put forward by Mzimba North legislator Yeremia Chihana (Alliance for Democracy-Aford).
The motion was last year referred to the Legal Affairs Committee for further scrutiny.
When he moved the motion, Chihana argued hat in the interest of equitable distribution of resources and development in Malawi, and as a solution to the challenges brought about by quota system in the Education Sector, coupled with the elasticity of Malawi politics, and to ensure equal participation in political decisions, the country needs to change its system of government.
“This House is satisfied that Malawi has now matured to change its system of government. To that end, this House resolves that all efforts and legal framework should be put in place towards the adoption of a federal system of government within a specified period.”
Chihana remains confident that the motion will be supported after passing through the Legal Affairs’ Committee, since there is evidence that national resources are not distributed equally.
He said: “Malawians are tired and they need change.”
The motion was previously defeated in the same House, when it was brought by Rumphi East MP Kamlepo Kalua who only got support from Malawi Congress Party (MCP).
In 2006, President Peter Mutharika, then a professor of international law at Washington University School of Law in the United States of America, proposed federalism as a solution to address the issue of national unity.
In his paper presented at the National Constitutional Review Conference in Lilongwe held from March 28 to 31 2006 titled Towards a More Manageable Constitution, he observed that Nigeria successfully resolved problems that were created by its three regions at independence in 1960 by establishing what are now 36 states and one federal territory.
However, in August 2014, three months after becoming President, Mutharika urged political and religious leaders against calls for federalism, arguing it would divide the country.
Koma yaa zabwino ndithu ma university onse alitu ku South ndiye federal Government ndiyabwino especially to us the Southerners musaone ngati mukupweteka ife
Federalism does not mean rotational presidency. All it means is one president will be elected together with 3 governors basi. Each region will have to use it resources to develop its area plus a little that government may allocate to desperate regions. So all taxes from the central would be used in the central. The South in the south and the North in the north. It is good because more power to develop your regions and bad because there are more fingers in the kitty
A typical DPP and tryinv to twist. Our federalism must address our problems and yours means civil war
Just see what the USA does. That is why other states are richer than others because of the value they provide.
I am in support of this 100%. Why should other regions pay for the development of other regions. Let every regions tax collections be used where they came from
Itabwera zikhonza kukhala bwino. Koma atumbuka anawunjikana ku Central ndiye kaya zitha bwanji?
Komanso ndiye kuti ma demo aja azingochitika ku North ndi Central basi nanga si ma organisers and participants amakhala akumeneku.
Ife phee pa South.
Their taxes would go to the development of the central region because they are using resources from the central region.
Pheee ndi njala yanu kudya nandolo. Central and North are Malawi’s breadbaskets
Kumwera kulibe njala. Malo a chonde olima ambiri. Amalimanso mu Mozambique mu.
The federal system that Peter Hitler Mutharika wanted to implement was to give advantage to the Southern region. It is like one dividing Carlifornia State in the USA into many states and allocate these states with more electoral colleges to exceed the present one. Peter Hitler Mutharika is trying to bring the federal system that will make the Southern region it alone to win the presidency and this should not be entertained. The FEDERAL SYSTEM of Malawi must recognize that no region or tribe is going to dominate others—it must be balanced to make sure our three region without the other cannot win the presidency, but we need each other as Malawians, everybody unleashing their God given talent without fear. Our Federal system must allocate each region points and for a political party to win the presidency must have more than 50 points. Our presidency must rotate among our three provinces and each province must have a governor. The governorship in each province must rotate among indigenous tribes of that region to avoid dominance by one tribe. The Southern region has more population than other region, and it deserve more points. The Southern region will be allocated 35 points, Central region 30 points, and Northern region (Nyika Province) 25 points. If the presidency will be in the Centre it means all political parties their presidential candidates must come from the Centre and their Vice president must come from the Northern region. If a political party wins the presidency under the candidate from the Central region and that person didn’t finish their term because she/he died—-another person within the party from the Central region must finish the term and not the Vice President from the Northern region because it is not yet their turn. This is to avoid what happened in Nigeria where their rotational presidency between the Muslims and Christians started civil war in that country. The reason is that the Muslim president died and didn’t finish his term and the Vice President who was Christian assumed the presidency. Malawi can do better and avoid civil war because you cannot sit on someone’s neck for a long time thinking they won’t fight back. When they fight back they won’t stop until they are completely free. The Central region and the Southern region has too long sitting on the neck of the Northern region people, THEY CANNOT BREATH. THEIR LIVES MATTERS JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE IN MALAWI. IF YOU ENJOY SITTING ON THEIR NECKS WHY CANNOT LET THEM GO AND BE INDEPENDENT NATION LIKE WHAT HAPPENED IN THE FORMER YUGOSLAVAKIA WHERE NOW YOU HAVE COUNTRIES LIKE SERBIA, CROATION , KOSOVO, AND SO ON. THE SERBS THOUGHT THEIR DOMINANCE, DISCRIMINATION, NEPOTISM, AND ALL THE EVILS THEY WERE DOING ON OTHER TRIBES WILL MAKE THEM POWERFUL, BUT IT ONLY BROUGHT RESENTMENT WHICH LED TO THE SPLIT OF THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA. I want to call upon MCP MPs to support this motion as an atonement to the atrocities they committed against the Northerners that today Nyika province is called Northern Korea, mocking the Northerners. Do you think these people feel good about the oppression that they experience every day from the Central region and Southern region. All MPs from the Northern region regardless of your party affiliation—vote for change because it was your people who voted you to parliament. Today you don’t care about your people but only your tummies. I respect people from the Central region and Southern region because they have their people at heart…..Northerners big NO. Look at people like Kamlepo who is selling Northerners on auction block and doesn’t give a damn about them. To avoid civil war in Malawi FEDERAL system that I just explained is the best. The oppressors won’t like it because they are vampires. The 50 plus one is still a Unitary system and is a ticking bomb to civil war. FORWARD WITH FEDERALISM DOWN WITH UNITARY SYSTEM THAT MAKE A PRESIDENT A DICTATOR. IN FEDERALISM PEOPLE CAN DEVELOP THEIR OWN PROVINCES WITHOUT POINTING A FINGER TO A PRESIDENT BUT THEIR OWN GOVERNOR.
We want federalism. Everyone must know that by investing in a certain region their tax goes towards the development of that region
You got it all wrong.The south collects more taxes than the north. This is not the yardstick to distribute the revenue for development.
The federalism issue is too big for these useless MPs, when push comes to shovel, it should be for all Malawians to decide through a referendum….period.
We can’t rely on these MPs to make that huge decision for our country……these are the same MPs who have shown us time and time again that when voting on matters of national importance they would rather vote for what their party want and not what their constituents want…..
I agree entirely! Our MPs have demonstrated lack of objectivity when voting on issues of national importance! Their stomachs come first!
Eacm province must decide to be part of malawi or not, period
Federalism will ensure development in every corner of malawi and corruption will be minimized. Go for it i say.
Wrong. Each region has its own crooks!
Great idea move Tumbukas to the northern region like Kamuzu did and wanted. Start with the useless judges.
Wrong! That’s not the intent.
Its the mindset that develops a country not systems abale. Look at South Africa ANC leadership inherited a country full of wealth and development they are running it to the ground because of the mindset not the system. So let us have the right mindset about development and not create other systems that will only complicate matters.
federal yomweyo
Federal government yemweyo Kut wawawa.
2/3 majority???
Muntharika brain is not functioning at 100% so plz just forgive him,
How come the same person in 2006 recommended the federal system of government then in 2014 fight not to implement it, do u think he is normal???
Something is wrong in Muntharikas brain may be it might be due to over drinking some Red Wine and Vodka .
Bring the federal system and let each region enjoy its own wealth , Why crying for unitary government while the country is already divided into regions and tribal line by DPP administration ???????
Mutu’wo wadzadza ndi mamina, hence bringing up disjointed suggestions. Anthu enanu munakhala bwanji? Leadership is not presented on a silver platter; you fight and contest for it ending up with the fittest winning, the last man standing gets it all.
That’s the way to go…..
If it benefits everyone, then it’s surely better than the current system riddled with open corruption and government job interview stampedes ! Change Is Coming !!
The federal government would not only ensurea fair distribution of the resources, but would also encourage Malawians to work harder to improve living conditions in their areas of origin, since most of us (unlike whites or foreigners) have original homes.
Quota system=equitable distribution of resources. Feudalism also aims at the same. So what was the problem with quota system anganya inu?
kochani: You are so stupid. In a federal system there is no quota system
Read more on implementation…..
Quota system was favouring southern region malawians.