Federal system of government bill faces uncertainty – Chihana

Mzimba North legislator Yeremia Chihana (Alliance for Democracy-Aford) says he is facing huddles to retable a a federalism motion in parliament.

The re-tabling motion appears uncertain as it remains unclear when the matter would be revisited.

Chihana, the lone Aford legislator,  said he wrote the Business Committee of Parliament of his intention to re-table the motion which was prolongated during the 48th session of the Parliament.

But Leader of the House, Richard Chimwendo Banda, said the Speaker’s Office was better placed to comment on the matter while the Speaker, Catherine Gotani Hara, said her office has yet to receive a request on the motion.

Chihana argues in the motion that 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.

He argued that there is evidence that national resources are not distributed equally.

The motion was defeated in 2018.  It had been brought on the floor by Rumphi East MP, Kamlepo Kalua who only got support from Malawi Congress Party (MCP) – in opposition then.

Some politicians in the north wants a federal system, saying the present system of governance disadvantages the northern region in terms of development.

The issue has been divisive and has generated a lot of debate as other quarters of society feel Malawi is too small to be ruled through federal system.

The country has never been ruled by a President from the northern region since attaining independence despite the oldest party MCP was founded by late Orton Chirwa from the north.

In 2006, former 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.