Bill on Malawi fresh polls date set for Wednesday: DPP’s Musowa calls MCP MPs ‘stupid’

Speaker of the National Assembly Catherine Gotani Hara has said Bills on electoral reforms  – which will determine the date of fresh presidential elections –  are ready and government will circulate them on Tuesday for discussion on Wednesday.

The Speaker said this on Monday after  Parliament resumed sitting since President Peter Mutharika’s State of the National Address on Friday.

Opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) lawmakers wanted the House to decide the poll date on Monday.

However, there was divisions in the House as Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers protested that MCP were full House  disregarding the  sitting plan agreed last Friday in line with the social distancing measures of coronavirus prevents.

The heated debated saw DPP leaders of backbenchers , hot-headed Victor Musowa  exchanging verbal tirade with MCP lawmakers and he called them “stupid”.

He said :“I know people that are making noise are hiding behind the desks, Some of these people are stupid.”

The Speaker ordered him to withdraw the  language.

He succumbed, saying: “Madam Speaker I withdraw.”

The Speaker then suspended the House so that the business committee can meet to discuss the sitting plan and decongestion of the main chamber.

Earlier , the Speaker had asked MCP for a list of people who were supposed to be in the main chamber.

She wanted to decongest the main chamber in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.