Assets Declaration office yet to serve Speaker over dismissal of MPs

National Assembly officials say they are yet to be served a formal letter from the Office of the Declaration of Assets for Speaker Richard Msowoya to fire six members of parliament who failed to declare their assets.

National Assembly spokesperson Leonard Mengezi said the Speaker cannot just work on media reports.

“When the Speaker gets the letter, he will consult with the Clerk of Parliament and other officials here at parliament, look at the law and make a decision,” he said.

The director of the Office of the Declaration of Assets had said he had written President Peter Mutharika and Msowoya to fire a Cabinet minister and five members of parliament for their failure to declare assets as required by law.

Minister of Civic Education Grace Obama Chiumia and members of parliament George Chaponda, Willard Gwengwe, Denis Kadzinja, Christopher Mzomera Ngwira and Henry Shaba refused to declare their assets for unknown reasons.

The director, Christopher Tukula, said the law provides that if public officers fail to declare their assets, they should be fired from their offices.

“As of now, the speaker has not yet received the letter which would trigger the whole process. The speaker will wait until the letter is received before making any decision on the matter,” said Mengezi.

Ironically, the office of the Office of the Assets Declaration is just a 10-minute drive to parliament building.

Parliament seats for the last time from November 19 to December but members of parliament will continue getting their monthly salary and other perks until the next elections in May.