Chaponda branded a liar as he denies sleeping in Parliament: Claims Nyasa Times photo ‘doctored’
Wanga Gwede –Nyasa Times
Leader of the House George Chaponda s not only someone who was sleeping in parliament during Friday’s State-of-the-Nation address by President Peter Mutharika, but also a liar.
Chaponda, who doubles as Minister of Agriculture and Water Development, has rejected pictures that have gone viral on social media, showing him sleeping.
Nyasa Times posted a picture of Chaponda who appeared to doze off and then private broadcaster Zodiak TV which was beaming the event live also captured the Leader of the House fast asleep with some other lawmakers including Rashy Gaffer and Joseph Njobvuyalema.
But Chaponda denied that he was sleeping, saying he was “very much awake” accusing Nyasa Times of doctoring the photos.
“I have seen those pictures and I can say it’s not true. Even the people on opposition side are shown sleeping, but I can also defend them to say I never saw one single MP sleeping; we were all alert and attentive. It was a good speech by the President and we were all listening with keen interest,” said Chaponda as quoted in The Nation newspaper.
Chaponda said the ‘sleeping’ pictures were the work of his political enemies as he is being tipped to be waiting in the wings to succeed President Mutharika.
“When you are in positions of power, you have many enemies. I am a survivor, these are doctored pictures. A prophet is not honoured in his own country. Nyasa Times is depicting me [ as sleeping] and social media is awash of such pictures, I worked for UN for a long time and I was respected, but here at home I am always depicted in a negative way.”
But one observer said it is “shame” for Leader of the House to reject that he was not sleeping when people watched him on Zodiak sleeping and that he needed a duvet.
“The ridiculousness of his reply is very embarrassing in itself,” noted Peter Piringu.
The MP’s supposed nap provoked a furious reaction from Malawians who commented on Nyasa Times about their disgust.
One tweeted: “Leader of the House fast asleep during State-of-the-Nation address by President Mutharika. What are we paying you for?’
Mutharika’s address lasted over an hour and half.
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Eish.,, apa ndiye kulakwilatu… Komabe, I think we must understand him for a number of reasons ranging from: ageing, long/boring speech, sickness, fatigue (u never knw wt tym he might have gone to bed the night b4, and wt sort of work he was doing). All in all, this is unacceptable… Imagine the entire House went asleep. Chitutkuku cha dziko chikadayenda? I don’t see (except for sickness) any appealing explanation to the minister’s conduct.. Akuluakulu, ngati mwatopa, kapumuleni. Inde ndalama m’khuto ilibe, bt if u really have the interest of the nation at hand, kapumuleni ndi adzukulu kumudzi.. They miss… Read more »
Sleeping and lying leader of gvt business in parliament, sleeping economy, sleeping nation and sleeping everything. I wonder why we allow liar to lead the nation. One such liar said he was going to reduce his power upon ascendancy to the throne. At the moment he doesn’t want to part away with a anything vested in him as a leader.
Kwachako mudala. wake-up as the world is watching you. Your brother Peter needs some more water.
Mwakula amudala a Chaponda siyani ndale.Kodi kugona mupaliyamenti mumafuna kuti a speeker akulembeleni night? Sikogona kupaliyamenti, wamva mdala.
Malawians have no hpoe in people like Chaponda. How does he think, instead of apologising, he goes on to lie and lie and lie.
The guy is there on midnight six membership and not to performe.
If he can lie with live TV pictures proving otherwise, I don’t think he’s ever said anything true.
Let me agree with Dr. Chaponda that he was not sleeping. Ordinary Malawians saw him sleeping while in actual fact he was “visioning and dreaming about the future of our country”. This is how they want to finish this country by seeping in Parliament while at the same drailing the finances meant for ordinary malawians. Congratualtion for the sleep. Thats being visionary and strategic.
Keeping one’s eyes closed and sleeping are not one and the same thing. You can close your eyes and yet remain awake. The honourable minister could be telling the truth by claiming that he only had his eyes closed but he was sleeping.
Of course, how could George Chaponda see anyone sleeping as he was in the comfort of his napping eye?
What response did you expect from chaponda?
Chaponda, osangovomera kuti mumagona achikulire. Kodi mukagwira ntchito ku UN ndiye kuti muthu sagona? Munth you sleep in conferences when it is boring. You guys are the one killing Mutharika as his speeches are boring. Mutharika, please take note. We are paying a lot of monies to you guys to sleep????? Wake up, the nation is watching you.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!